Air Force Global Strike Command

Definition/Scope: (AFGSC) Air Force Global Strike Command is a major command with headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., in the Shreveport - Bossier City community. AFGSC is responsible for the nation’s three intercontinental ballistic missile wings, two B-52 Stratofortress wings and the only B-2 Spirit wing. It is the Air Force’s newest command, activated Aug. 7, 2009. Their stated mission is: Develop and provide combat-ready forces for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations -- safe, secure, effective -- to support the president of the United States and combatant commanders. AFGSC has six wings, two geographically-separated squadrons and one detachment in the continental United States. Major units and bases include: Eighth Air Force, with headquarters at Barksdale AFB, in the Bossier City - Shreveport, La. metro area, supports U.S. Joint Forces Command, and is designated as U.S. Strategic Command’s Task Force 204, providing on-alert, combat-ready forces to the president. The mission of "The Mighty Eighth" is to safeguard America’s interests through strategic deterrence and global combat power. Eighth Air Force controls long-range nuclear-capable bomber assets throughout the United States and overseas locations. Its flexible, conventional and nuclear deterrence mission provides the capability to deploy forces and engage enemy threats from home station or forward positioned, anywhere, any time. The 8th Air Force motto is "Deterrence through strength, global strike on demand." Eighth Air Force has three bomber wings -- the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Mo.; the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La.; and the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. Twentieth Air Force, with headquarters at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., also supports U.S. Strategic Command. Twentieth Air Force is responsible for maintaining and operating the Air Force’s ICBM force. Designated as STRATCOM’s Task Force 214, 20th Air Force provides on-alert, combat-ready ICBMs to the president. Twentieth Air Force has three ICBM wings -- the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.; the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont.; and the 91st Missile at Minot AFB, N.D.

Acronym:

AFGSC

Broader Terms:

Air Force Global Strike Command
Ramstein AB, Germany

Narrower Terms:

Air Combat Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Mobility Command
B-52 Stratofortress
Barksdale AFB
Hickam Air Force Base
Hurlburt Field
ICBM
Langley Air Force Base
Louisiana
nuclear deterrence
Pacific Air Forces
Peterson AFB
Randolph AFB
Robins AFB
Scott AFB
USAF
Wright-Patterson AFB