How (not) to reorganize the Air Force
After a top Air Force official strongly hinted at coming changes to the Air Force's structure, Adam Lowther and Curtis McGiffin warn that one particular option would be bad news for America's nuclear readiness.
By ADAM LOWTHER and CURTIS MCGIFFIN
on January 18, 2024 at 12:07 PM
An Air Force Global Strike Command unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 2, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photo by Vandenberg Air Force Base Public Affairs)
After months of study, the Air Force may (or may not) be on the verge of a major restructuring. While a shakeup has yet to be confirmed — much less the details of the plan — in this op-ed nuclear policy experts Adam Lowther and Curtis McGiffin examine one road that they say Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall should definitely not follow.
During the Space Force Association’s annual conference in mid-December, Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, the commander of Space Systems Command, raised eyebrows when he said, “The Air Force is going to get rid of the major command structure.” He added, “Think about how fundamental that is to the way we fight today and the way we’ve always thought about the Air Force. And we’re going to step away from what we know as the MAJCOM structure. That’s going to be a huge change.”
He later retracted his comments and explained that no concrete decisions was made … yet. For a careful officer like Guetlein to speak publicly of such radical change, the decision is likely not far from concrete, however.
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