The AFGSC History page contains stories, photos and videos about Air Force Global Strike Command, as well our lineage to the Strategic Air Command. All products are provided by the AFGSC History Office. For more information about Air Force History in general, visit the Air Force History site.
Air Force Global Strike Command, activated August 7, 2009, is a major command with headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, in the Shreveport-Bossier City community. AFGSC is responsible for the nation's three intercontinental ballistic missile wings, the Air Force’s entire bomber force, to include B-52, B-1 and B-2 wings, the Long Range Strike Bomber program, Air Force Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) systems, and operational and maintenance support to organizations within the nuclear enterprise.
January 12, 2009 - Air Force officials officially established Air Force Global Strike Command (Provisional) at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. with supporting detachments at Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command, and commanded by Brig. Gen. James M. Kowalski. The provisional command was responsible for implementing the Secretary of the Air Force's Program Action Directive and Programming Plan.
August 7, 2009 - Air Force Global Strike Command stood up and was tasked to oversee all of the U.S. Air Force's long-range nuclear-capable bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile forces in a ceremony at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
December 1, 2009 - The command assumed the U.S. Air Force's Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile mission with the assumption of 20th Air Force and the 576th Flight Test Squadron. These units were previously part of Air Force Space Command.
February 1, 2010 - The command assumed the U.S. Air Force's strategic long-range nuclear-capable B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress bomber missions with the assumption of the 8th Air Force mission. These units were previously part of Air Combat Command.
February 2, 2011 - New START signed.
March 20, 2011 - Three B-2s from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, flew a long-range strike mission to support Operation Odyssey Dawn.
October 17, 2011 - Units assigned to AFGSC awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for period covering June 1, 2008 - May 31, 2010.
December 1, 2011 - USAF re-aligned the weapons storage areas from AFMC to AFGSC.
March 28, 2013 - Two B-2 bombers conduct a long-duration, round-trip training mission from Whiteman AFB to the Republic of Korea as part of the ongoing bilateral Foal Eagle training exercise.
October 1, 2015 - 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas, and 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, (B-1B Lancer) and Long-Range Strike Bomber Program transfer from Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command. The 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, transfers from Air Force Material Command. The realignment enhances the Air Force’s global strike capabilities by placing all bombers under a single command.
October 1, 2016 - The United States Air Force Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Center (USAF NC3 Center) was established at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. USAF NC3 is a sub-organization of Air Force Global Strike Command tasked to provide technical and operational support to maintain the health of communication links between the National Military Command Authority and the nuclear warfighters of the U.S. Air Force.
September 29, 2017 – USSTRATCOM designation of AFGSC as Air Forces Strategic - Air (AFSTRAT). AFSTRAT is the USSTRATCOM warfighting air-component.