Air Force Global Strike Command Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) is a Major Command ( MAJCOM ) of the United States Air Force , headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana . AFGSC provides combat - ready forces to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations in support of combatant commanders . Air Force Global Strike Command is the direct descendant unit of the Cold War - era Strategic Air Command . It holds the lineage , history and honors of SAC . Overview . AFGSC was established for the improvement of the management of the United States ' nuclear arsenal . It assumed responsibility for the nuclear - capable assets of Air Force Space Command on 1 December 2009 and the nuclear - capable assets of Air Combat Command on 1 February 2010 . Its creation was outlined in the recommendations of the investigation following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident . The command was activated 7 August 2009 , at Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana , The mission of Air Force Global Strike Command is to " 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 consists of approximately 23 , 000 professionals assigned to six wings , two geographically - separated squadrons and one detachment in the continental United States and deployed to locations around the globe . Units . AOR Barksdale , Malmstrom , Minot , FE Warren , Whitman Eighth Air Force . Headquarters , Eighth Air Force – Barksdale AFB , Louisiana Eighth Air Force 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 . " The B - 2 Spirit is a long - range nuclear and conventional stealthy bomber . The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes that can reach 50 , 000 feet . Its unrefueled range is at least 6 , 000 nautical miles . The B - 2 brings massive firepower , in a short time , anywhere on the globe through the most challenging defenses . The B - 52 Stratofortress is a long - range , nuclear and conventional heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions . The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes reaching 50 , 000 feet . It has an unrefueled combat range in excess of 8 , 800 miles . It can carry precision - guided ordnance with worldwide precision navigation . Twentieth Air Force . Headquarters , Twentieth Air Force – Francis E . Warren AFB , Wyoming 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 . The ICBMs are on 24 - hour / 365 - day alert and are ready to launch on any given day . Twentieth Air Force ' s ICBM team plays a critical role in maintaining global stability and ensuring the Nation ' s safety and security . 450 Minuteman III missiles provide a critical component of America ' s on - alert strategic forces . As the Nation ' s " silent sentinels , " ICBMs , and the people who operate them , have remained on continuous , around - the - clock alert since 1959 . AFGSC ' s 20th Air Force is the Air Force ' s lead command for and largest operator of UH - 1N Huey helicopters . The UH - 1N supports ICBM operations in missile fields controlled by F . E . Warren AFB , Malmstrom AFB and Minot AFB . History . Following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident and the 2008 incident in which four MK - 12 forward - section reentry vehicle assemblies were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan , former Secretary of Defense James R . Schlesinger led an investigation into the status of U . S . Air Force nuclear surety . Secretary Schlesinger ' s recommendation was the creation of a single command under which all Air Force nuclear assets should be placed for better accountability . On 24 October 2008 , the Secretary of the United States Air Force , Michael Donley , announced the creation of the Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) as a new Air Force major command ( MAJCOM ) . Along with Air Force Space Command ( AFSPC ) at Peterson AFB , Colorado , AFGSC is one of two Air Force component commands reporting to United States Strategic Command ( USSTRATCOM ) at Offutt AFB , Nebraska . The new command began operations in August 2009 , combining the nuclear - capable strategic bomber force previously operated by Air Combat Command ( ACC ) and the land - based intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ) force previously operated by Air Force Space Command ( AFSPC ) . The USAF currently has 20 B - 2 Spirit and 57 B - 52 Stratofortress bombers and three missile wings of Minuteman III ICBMs that are designated as nuclear - capable . When needed for conventional missions , the B - 2 and B - 52 bombers will be reassigned to regional commands . Although formerly assigned a nuclear mission , the B - 1 Lancer bomber force transitioned to a strictly conventional mission force and was retained in Air Combat Command . In November 2008 , the USAF announced plans to start a fourth B - 52 squadron at Minot Air Force Base to support Air Force Global Strike Command , The USAF added that , " all the nuclear - capable bombers of what is now Eighth Air Force , and [ command of all ICBMs ] of what is now in Twentieth Air Force , will report to this single new command . " . This action was accomplished on 3 September 2009 , when the 69th Bomb Squadron ( 69 BS ) reactivated at Minot Air Force Base . The command ' s 55 - member preliminary team , commanded by Major General James Kowalski , began operations at Bolling Air Force Base on 12 January 2009 . The team was charged with finding a location for the new headquarters and transitioning the assigned units into the new command . In April 2009 , the preliminary team selected Barksdale AFB as the headquarters for the new command . Donley stated that the factors which contributed to the selection of Barksdale over the other candidate bases were its connection to the 8th Air Force , a " slightly larger [ air ] operations center " , and the base ' s hosting of the 11th Bomb Squadron ( 11 BS ) , which trains B - 52 aircrews and will be adding special emphasis on nuclear training . On 16 April 2009 , United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that Air Force Lieutenant General Frank G . Klotz was nominated to be the first commander of the Global Strike Command . Prior to his assignment to AFGSC , Lt Gen Klotz was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director of the Air Force Staff . On 18 June , after an environmental assessment finding of ' No Significant Impact ' , Barksdale Air Force Base was announced as the permanent location for AFGSC . On 7 August 2009 , the command officially became active with Lt Gen Klotz assuming command of the organization . The headquarters staff includes 900 people , and reached full operational capability by 30 September 2010 . The Twentieth Air Force ( 20 AF ) , the service ’ s missile organization , came under the new command on 1 December 2009 , and the Eighth Air Force ( 8 AF ) , the bomber component , came under the command on 1 February 2010 .