Showing posts with label ICBM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ICBM. Show all posts

Thursday, March 27, 2014

BALLISTIC MISSILE LAUNCH OFFICER CHEATING SCHEDULE LEADS TO DISCIPLINE

Right:  Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, brief reporters on the results of the command's investigation into allegations of compromised test materials at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014. James and Wilson also provided an update on the service's force improvement program. U.S. Air Force photo by Scott M. Ash.  

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Air Force Relieves, Disciplines Officers in Cheating Scandal
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2014 – The Air Force has relieved nine officers, allowed a commander to retire and will discipline 91 others as a result of a cheating scandal among intercontinental ballistic missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, made the announcements today during a Pentagon news conference.

“Commanders are also responsible when our people fall short,” Wilson said.
Air Force Col. Robert Stanley, the commander of the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom accepted responsibility and submitted his resignation to Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, the commander of 20th Air Force, Wilson said.

Weinstein also relieved nine leaders from the group and squadron level, the general said. He removed Col. Mark Schuler, the 341st Operations Group commander, for loss of confidence in his leadership ability. He also removed the group deputy commander.

The commanders of the 10th, 12th, and 490th missile squadrons were also removed, as was the commander of the 341st operational support squadron. Weinstein further relieved the directors of operation from the 341st Operational Support Squadron and the 10th Missile Squadron. Finally, he relieved the 341st Operations Group’s standardization and evaluation officer.

“None of these people were directly involved in test compromise; however, they all failed adequate leadership, supervision and oversight of the crew force,” Wilson said.

“Disciplinary action is also being taken against the officers who have substantiated cheating from the investigation,” he added.

The investigation ultimately implicated 100 officers who were investigated as part of the compromise, he said. “Of the 100, nine actually were not substantiated and will be returned to duty as soon as practicable,” the general said. “Details of those actions were released after all the members have been served, and they’re being served today.”

Air Force leaders will determine whether the officers can return to alert duty after completion of these actions. “The officers who had unsubstantiated allegations will be retrained, recertified and returned to duty,” he said.

James and Wilson said they will work together to eliminate the systemic problems they found upon investigating the incident.

James said she will attack the unhealthy emphasis on perfection that permeated the base and will reallocate funds to improve the quality of facilities and quality of life for missileers.

“In fiscal year 2014, we have $19 million funded for some of the areas within the force improvement program, including launch control center refurbishment and infrastructure repairs,” she said. “Furthermore, the 20th Air Force has identified an additional $3 million for quality-of-life requirements.”
In its fiscal year 2015 budget request, the service asked for $455 million to sustain its Minuteman squadrons, ICBM helicopter support and some critical communications areas, James said.

“Finally, we’ve identified $154 million in other requirements associated with our force improvement program, including readiness, training and improvements to launch control facilities, to just name a few of the areas,” she said.
As the Air Force executes its funding in 2014, “we’re going to seek to rearrange as much as possible to fund these important programs,” James said. “In other words, we’re not going to wait. We’re going to move forward.”

Thursday, December 6, 2012

U.S. WAITS AND WATCHES FOR NORTH KOREAN ROCKET LAUNCH

Map:  North Korea.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S. Monitors Possible North Korean Rocket Launch
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2012 - U.S. Pacific Command has moved ships into place to monitor a possible North Korean rocket launch, Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III said here today.

North Korean officials have threatened to launch a satellite-tipped rocket into space sometime this month. Locklear, Pacom's commander, said such a move would violate United Nations Security Council resolutions.

"We encourage the leadership in North Korea to consider what they are doing here and the implications on the overall security environment on the Korean Peninsula, as well as in Asia," Locklear said during a Pentagon news conference.

The move would be similar to what the nation would do to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea has been pursuing nuclear technology in defiance of the international community and has claimed to have carried out several tests of nuclear devices. Launching the rocket could show that North Korea has a delivery system for a nuclear weapon.

"And this ... would be very destabilizing ... not only to the region but to the international security environment," Locklear said.

The possible rocket launch would counter what has been a series of positive steps North Korea has made.

"There have been ... a number of signs that might lead you to believe that the new regime leadership is going to take a more ... rational approach to how they deal with their own economy and how they deal with their own people, and how they deal internationally," Locklear said. "There's been a feeling that there might be some hope there."

Locklear's priority -- like that of all U.S. commanders -- is the defense of the United States. As such, he is watching North Korean preparations carefully and talking with friends and allies in the region.

The command has moved U.S. Navy ships in place to achieve optimal monitoring of the threatened launch. This is also important because Pacom has a homeland defense mission for Guam, the Marianas islands and other states in Oceana.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

THE NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE



Photo:  Minute Man III.  Credit:  U.S. Navy.
FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE
Nuclear enterprise experts train and attend symposium

by Capt. Angela Webb
20th Air Force Public Affairs

F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. (ANFS) -- Approximately 16 general and flag officers, led by the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, took part in an airborne emergency action officers exercise and Strategic Deterrence Conference at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., Aug. 6-9.

Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, is responsible for the global command and control of U.S. strategic forces to meet decisive national security objectives. In this capacity, the general frequently calls upon his leaders to participate in group exercises that ensure the nuclear deterrence mission is conducted in a safe, secure and effective manner.

The Airborne Command Post was initiated by U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command in 1961, nicknamed the "Looking Glass." The network of specially equipped alert aircraft would launch with an airborne emergency action officer and supporting battlestaff to utilize network communication assets and "mirror" the capabilities in ground-based command centers.

The Airborne Command Post's airborne emergency action officers are general or flag officers who will take command of U.S. strategic forces in the event that the ground command centers were degraded or destroyed. In addition, the Airborne Command Post provides a secondary launch capability for the nations' ICBM force. This system, the Airborne Launch Control System, is operated by the world's only airborne ICBM launch control officers.

In 2008, then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz began to set important nuclear enterprise guidance and policies in place, one of which was building the airborne emergency action officers force. Today, there are approximately 30 general and flag officers trained and certified in the airborne emergency action officers mission.


ICBM ground units are located at Malmstrom AFB, Mont.; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.; and Minot AFB, N.D. The 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, located at Offutt AFB, Neb., also includes a number of unique missions: Airborne Launch Control System training, operations, testing and evaluation; the Strategic Automated Command and Control System; ICBM targeting and targeting system operations; and ballistic missile engineering and trajectory analysis. Along with their counterparts in the underground launch control centers across the Great Plains, Airborne Launch Control System crews are on alert 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to execute the nuclear mission.


"Nuclear deterrence and global strike operations require great trust in, and responsibility from, 20th Air Force personnel every day," said Maj. Gen. Michael J. Carey, 20th Air Force and Task Force 214 commander. "Ensuring all personnel are qualified on the aircraft and weapons systems they operate and work on is vital to the reliability of the nuclear forces, and means that we are ready to respond at a moment's notice."

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