AFGSC: Airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) will provide a first-hand look at how they are deployed in place to give 24/7/365 safe, secure, and credible strategic deterrent to the United States in an upcoming episode of Newsweek’s Unconventiona l series on November 19th. These Airmen administer such deterrence against threats by maintaining and manning the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), ICBM modernization and soon—the Sentinel.

Gen. Thomas Bussiere (AFGSC/CC) noted there has been a long-standing consensus that “...our nation requires a Triad for our national defense needs, as well as those of our Allies and partners...All three legs of the Triad—the air leg, the land leg [ICBMs] and the sea leg—all have very unique attributes... that contribute to national security and strategic deterrence,” he said. Bussiere explained that the “The Triad and the ICBMs are used every day…we have Airmen, defenders, operators and maintainers maintaining “the watch” of deterrence every day of every week.”

AFMC: The Air Force has completed critical design reviews for Collaborative Combat Aircraft produced by Anduril Industries and General Atomics, and both companies are on a path toward first flight that will allow the Air Force to establish initial operational capability by 2030. “Both industry teammates are on the path to get to first flight in a timeline that allows us to get operational capability by the end of the decade,” said Col. Timothy Helfrich (AFLCMC/WAC). “We are on track, if not ahead, in some areas.”

AFRC:

• The 301st Fighter Wing in Texas became the first standalone Air Force Reserve F-35 wing recently. The wing is expected to receive the remaining 25 of the fleet, over the next 12-15 months. The 301st Fighter Wing is the first standalone Reserve unit to get the F-35—the Reserve’s 419th Fighter Wing at Hill uses the Active-Duty 388th Fighter Wing’s jets.

• Chief Master Sgts. Seth Thomas, 931st ARW/CCC and Craig Webb 22nd AMXS/MXAA, oversee maintenance operations on 18 KC-135 and 24 KC-46 tankers, along with over 1,000 maintenance personnel. These Reserve Airmen described their day-to-day roles and how they handle difficulties in their tasks and those of their subordinates. “As a senior enlisted leader here with 25 years of experience, I try to relay that [wisdom] to the maintainers,” said Thomas. “I have to remember that I was there once, too, an 18-year-old straight out of high school.”