Global Security Newswire
Daily News on Nuclear, Biological & Chemical Weapons, Terrorism and Related Issues
Unit Shifted to Air Force Nuclear Command
The U.S. Air Force on Friday ended operation of the 498th Nuclear Systems Wing as part of a reorganization of the service's atomic operations, the Albuquerque Journal reported (see GSN, April 28, 2011).
The Air Force last April said its Global Strike Command would assume oversight of nuclear munitions units then overseen by the Air Force Materiel Command. The Global Strike Command has now taken over the duties of the 498th Nuclear Systems Wing, which had administered activities at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.
The 377th Maintenance Group now incorporates the 898th Munitions Squadron, the 175-member Kirtland base unit that was previously within the 498th Nuclear Systems Wing, according to representatives of the New Mexico installation (see GSN, June 9, 2010). The 898th Munitions Squadron oversaw the base's Underground Munitions Maintenance and Storage Complex.
Roughly 2,000 nuclear weapons are held at the Kirtland base, according to the Federation of American Scientists (Charles Brunt, Albuquerque Journal, Jan. 27).
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