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• 2015 Total Force Climate Survey Results [presentation]

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  The purpose of this report was to "provide feedback on Air Force organizational climate" and compare these statistics to that of past years.

  United States. Air Force

  2015
• Department of Defense Plan to Meet Joint Requirements Oversight Council Meteorological and Oceanographic Collection Requirements, Report to Congressional Committees

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  "In September 2014, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) identified and prioritized 12 satellite-based weather observing (space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM)) sensing requirements and directed the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop a strategy to address them. The DoD-developed strategy relies on a combination of civil, international, and military assets to meet these requirements. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) has been the primary US military program providing SBEM data since the 1960s. The DoD will continue to operate the constellation until it reaches end of mission life, projected to be in 2021. The DoD's materiel contribution to the family of SBEM systems will address three requirements gaps (Ocean Surface Vector Winds, Tropical Cyclone Intensity, and Energetic Charged Particles). This program of record is referred to as the Weather System Follow-on (WSF). The remaining gaps will be addressed by space and ground-based capabilities provided by civil and international partners. The Air Force strategy for addressing near-term Indian Ocean coverage utilizes a three-pronged approach. The first prong is a focused effort through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Commerce (DoC) to engage internationally and fully exploit partner capability data. Secondly, DoD is working with NOAA to explore options to move a NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) to address cloud characterization and theater weather imagery over the Indian Ocean. Thirdly, the Air Force is exploring materiel solutions to address the cloud characterization and theater weather imagery gaps. In May 2016, the JROC endorsed this strategy and requested an update based on the recent loss of the ability to command DMSP- 19. This update will be given to the JROC in September 2016."

  United States. Air Force

  2016-08
• AF/A8XC Natural Impact Hazard (Asteroid Strike) Interagency Deliberate Planning Exercise After Action Report December 2008

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  "Future Concepts and Transformation Division (AF/A8XC) hosted a Natural Impact Event Interagency Planning Exercise, 4 Dec 2008, in Alexandria, Virginia. Twenty Seven Subject Matter Experts from across US Government, including DOD, DOE, DOS, DHS, NASA, and NSC participated in a single day tabletop exercise to explore 'whole of government' response to an impending asteroid strike. The specific scenario involved a mythical asteroid, '2008 Innoculatus'. It was a binary asteroid consisting of a 270m rocky rubble pile projected to strike the Gulf of Guinea and a 50m metallic companion asteroid projected to strike in the National Capital Region (NCR). The scenario was selected to maximize exposure to the diversity of threat (variation in size, composition, land/water strike), stress both national and international notification, and provide useful pre-planning should an actual effort need to be mounted against the asteroid Apophis when it has a small probability to pass through a gravitational keyhole in 2029 and perhaps return to strike the Earth seven years later in 2036. Players were broken into two teams. The first team focused on disaster response and was told the asteroid was discovered 72 hrs from impact. The second team focused on deflection/mitigation was told the asteroid had been discovered seven years from impact, and to design a 'strawman' deflection plan using existing capabilities."

  United States. Air Force

  2008-12
• Air Force Energy Program Policy Memorandum

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  "This Policy Memorandum disseminates information for the Air Force energy management strategy, goals, objectives and metrics, including organizational relationships and existing responsibilities. [...] The overarching vision of the Air Force Energy Initiative is 'Make Energy a Consideration in All We Do.' The Air Force uses energy awareness to keep all personnel focused on energy conservation and efficiency to reduce energy costs. It is only by involving everyone in the Air Force at all levels that the Air Force energy goals will be met."

  United States. Air Force

  2008-12-19
• Air Force Basic Doctrine

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  "This document is the premier statement of US Air Force basic doctrine. It has been prepared under the direction of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF). It establishes general doctrinal guidance for the application of air and space forces in operations across the full range of military operations, from nuclear or conventional warfare, to military operations other than war (MOOTW), and to operations within the homeland. It should form the basis from which Air Force commanders plan and execute their assigned air and space missions and act as a commander within a Service, joint, or multinational force."

  United States. Air Force

  2003-11-17
• Air Force Law Review: Cyberlaw Edition

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  "The Air Force Law Review is a publication of The Judge Advocate General, United States Air Force. It is published semiannually by The Judge Advocate General's School as a professional legal forum for articles of interest to military and civilian lawyers. The Law Review encourages frank discussion of relevant legislative, administrative, and judicial developments." This edition of The Air Force Law Review contains articles such as "Sovereignty in Cyberspace: Can it Exist?, Non-Intervention and Neutrality in Cyberspace: An Emerging Principle in the National Practice of International Law," and other relevant articles pertaining to cyberspace and cyber warfare.

  United States. Air Force

  2009
• Maritime Homeland Defense: A Role for Land-Based Airpower?

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  "Given the increasing frequency and resourcefulness with which terrorists have planned and carried out attacks, it is reasonable to believe that maritime operations at US ports and on the high seas are in danger. Lieutenant Colonel Grynkewich contends that airpower can and should assist in countering this threat, and could do so with modest increases in personnel and/or equipment by using currently available manned and unmanned aircraft and space platforms."

  United States. Air Force

  Grynkewich, Alexus G.

  2007-12-01
• Irregular Warfare: Air Force Doctrine Document 2-3 [August 1, 2007]

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  "Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 2-3, Irregular Warfare, establishes operational-level doctrinal guidance for irregular warfare (IW). IW is not a lesserincluded form of traditional warfare. Rather, IW encompasses a spectrum of warfare where the nature and characteristics are significantly different from traditional war. IW presents unique challenges to military forces requiring innovative strategies for employing Air Force capabilities. Effectively combating and conducting IW is critical to protecting the US and its vital interests. This AFDD applies to the Total Force: all Air Force military and civilian personnel, including regular, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard units and members. Unless specifically stated otherwise, Air Force doctrine applies to the full range of operations. The doctrine in this document is authoritative, but not directive. Therefore, commanders need to consider the contents of this AFDD and the particular situation when accomplishing their missions."

  United States. Air Force

  2007-08-01
• Leadership and Force Development: Air Force Doctrine Document 1-1 [Updated February 18, 2006]

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  "This document provides guidance for Air Force leaders in fulfilling assigned missions. It ensures leaders at every echelon throughout the Air Force have a baseline for preparing themselves and their forces to conduct operations. This is essential for the success of the highly flexible and rapidly responsive operations in which the Air Force routinely engages either independently or as a component of a joint/multinational task force. Doctrine describes the proper use of air and space forces in military operations and serves as a guide for the exercise of professional judgment rather than a set of inflexible rules. It describes the Air Force's understanding of the best way to do the job to accomplish national objectives."

  United States. Air Force

  2006-02-18
• Nation's Guardians: America's 21st Century Air Force

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  "This White Paper charts U.S. Air Force strategy for the next two decades and defines the Air Force's indispensable role in promoting and defending the national interest. In framing the strategic imperatives that face the United States and its Air Force, the paper lays out the urgent actions required to cope with today's and tomorrow's challenges. Accordingly, this White Paper is a definitive statement of Air Force intent to maintain its role as the guardian of America's freedom, security and prosperity--the Nation's force of first and last resort."

  United States. Air Force

  Moseley, T. Michael

  2007-12-29
• Air Force Instruction 14-202, Volume 3: General Intelligence Rules, March 10, 2008

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  "This instruction implements Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 14-2, Intelligence Rules and Procedures and establishes Air Force general intelligence rules. This instruction, in conjunction with AFI 36-2201, Air Force Training Program, the Officer Classification guide, the Enlisted Classification Guide, AFI 14-202, Volume 1, Intelligence Training, and AFI 14-202, Volume 2, Intelligence Standardization/Evaluation Program, outlines intelligence operations. It applies to all active duty, guard (Air National Guard (ANG)), and reserve USAF officer, enlisted, and civilian intelligence personnel as well as non-intelligence personnel assigned to intelligence functions/activities…This policy document supports all Air Force Intelligence Training Transformation (IT2) efforts as mandated by DoD and other national policy directives."

  United States. Air Force

  2008-03-10
• Fiscal Year 2012 United States Air Force Agency Financial Report

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  "The Annual Financial Report details how the Air Force is using budgeted resources to deliver our Nation's air, space, and cyber defense capability. It also provides an overview of the Air Force's achievements, objectives, and challenges. The Air Force is striving to reach audit readiness and is fully committed to meeting Secretary Panetta's directive to produce an auditable Statement of Budgetary Resources by FY14 and to have all financial statements auditable by FY17. Improving the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of financial information promotes better decision making at every level. Submitting financial statements that have passed the scrutiny of an independent audit will demonstrate to Congress, the President, and the American people that the funds entrusted to us are spent prudently. As our Nation continues its focus on economic recovery, the Air Force is placing emphasis on achieving internal efficiencies within our budget. We must continue to provide the essential force structure and capabilities on which our Nation depends, and be ready to respond to a challenging and dynamic security environment. Making far-sighted decisions now on how to best utilize our resources will position the Air Force for success in the future. As we make these difficult budget decisions, taking care of our Airmen will remain a top priority. We are mindful of the current fiscal situation that our Nation faces and recognize that the Air Force must do its part to support getting our economic house in order."

  United States. Air Force

  2012-11
• USAF L2 Special Bulletin: Hurricane Special

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  This special edition of the L2 Bulletin is focused on the 2010 Hurricane Season.

  United States. Air Force

  2010-06
• Cognitive Engineering for Information Dominance: A Human Factors Perspective

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  "Information Warfare (IW) is emerging as the critical military issue of the day. IW is introduced and analyzed with respect to its major themes and current definitions. Those aspects of IW requiring cognitive engineering research are identified, necessary methodological reorientations are outlined, and key links to the human factors/cognitive engineering topics of situation awareness and decision making are discussed. A specific target capability (the common battlespace picture) and the framework for research toward that goal (the OODA model) are introduced. The OODA model is contextualized with respect to other relevant research areas and U.S. Air Force practices. An integrated cognitive engineering program for IW analyses is specified and illustrated with respect to an example drawn from theater missile defense (TMD) attack operations. Extensive listings of bibliographic references, terminological definitions, and relevant Internet resources provide a solid foundation for further reading and research."

  United States. Air Force

  Whitaker, Randall D.; Kuperman, Gilbert G.

  1996-10
• Cyberspace Operations: Air Force Doctrine Document 3-12, 15 July 2010

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  "Today, we live in a globally-networked society that is increasingly dependent upon cyberspace access and security. Our ability to gain and maintain superiority in cyberspace has become essential to our ability to deliver global reach, power, and vigilance. As an integral member of the joint warfighting team, the Air Force is committed to growing, sustaining, and presenting highly skilled and well-equipped forces to joint force commanders who can deliver decisive effects in, from, and through cyberspace, while assuring our mission against an asymmetric cyber threat. Freedom of action in the cyberspace domain enables our command, control, communication, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Our modern defenses, industrial base, and global commerce, as well as that of our nation's enemies, depend on free use of land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. Leverage in cyberspace affords influence and control across all other domains. This leverage increases our forces' access, speed, reach, stealth, and precision. Controlling the portions of cyberspace integral to our mission is a fundamental prerequisite to effective operations across the range of military operations. While we appreciate the power that cyber-enabled capabilities add, we also maintain a healthy respect for the asymmetric power that cyberspace affords our adversaries. We must maintain a constant commitment to educate, train, and equip our Airman to prevail in the contested domain of cyberspace."

  United States. Air Force

  2010-07-15
• Social Media and the Air Force

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  "This guide provides Air Force Public Affairs professionals with basic social media knowledge needed to maneuver in the online information space and the basic-level tactics explained here should be used to compliment the traditional forms of Public Affairs, to include internal communication, community relations and media relations."

  United States. Air Force

  2009-11
• Air Force Energy Plan 2010

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  "The Air Force Energy Plan serves as the operational framework for all military and civilian Air Force personnel in communicating the Air Force energy goals, objectives and metrics. The Air Force Energy Plan aligns with the goals outlined in the Air Force Strategic Plan, and is aligned under the Agile Combat Support Master Plan. Air Force energy goals, objectives, and metrics are specified in the Air Force Energy Plan, as well as the cross-functional governance and management structure of all levels of the Air Force command responsible for executing the Air Force Energy Policy stated in Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 90-17, Energy Management, dated 16 July 2009, and Air Force Instruction (AFI) 90-1701, Energy Management, dated 16 July 2009. The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics (SAF/IE) is the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) for the Air Force Energy Plan and serves as the Director of the Headquarters Air Force (HAF) Energy Program Management Office (EPMO)."

  United States. Air Force

  2009-12
• Cyber This, Cyber That ... So What?

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  "This article endorses the idea that cyber operations may be conducted in all war-fighting domains: air, space, cyberspace, land, and sea. In addition, despite the immaturity of cyberspace operational doctrines, the doctrines from air and space remain relevant and applicable to the cyberspace domain. Cyber operations are just another set of tools in the commander's toolbox. Although cyber operations have distinct ways of achieving effects, from an Air Force perspective they are similar to other air and space operations that support air and space (and cyberspace) functions. Known and established cyber operations provide war fighters with viable options to kinetic means. This article highlights the role of cyber operations in supporting the air and space functions."

  United States. Air Force

  Trias, Eric D.; Bell, Bryan M.

  2010
• Air Force Office of Special Investigations [website]

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  This is the official website for the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). "AFOSI investigates a wide variety of serious offenses - espionage, terrorism, crimes against property, violence against people, larceny, computer hacking, acquisition fraud, drug use and distribution, financial misdeeds, military desertion, corruption of the contracting process, and any other illegal activity that undermines the mission of the U.S. Air Force or the Department of Defense."

  United States. Air Force
• Air Force District of Washington [website]

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  "Headquartered at Andrews Air Force Base, D.C., Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) is the Air Force component for the National Capital Region as the Air Force element under Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region Command, which was created in October 2004 in response to the events of September 11, 2001. Air Force District of Washington falls under the command of Headquarters Air Force as a direct-reporting unit. AFDW manages Air Force resources in the National Capital Region while providing ceremonial support to HAF, the Department of Defense and the White House."

  United States. Air Force
• Cyberspace Operations: Air Force Doctrine Document 3-12, 15 July 2010 - Incorporating Change 1, 30 November 2011

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  "This interim change reflects updates in national guidance, command relationships, and force presentation. The more significant changes are found in Chapter Two. Updates reflect USSTRATCOM [United States Strategic Command] delegation of OPCON [Operational Control] to USCYBERCOM [United States Cyber Command] (page 20), full operational status of the 624th Operations Center (page 24), normalization of AF [Air Force] cyberspace liaison deployments to theater staffs (page 26), and establishment of the terms "AFCYBER" identifying the 24th Air Force as the Service element to USSTRATCOM (page 21) and "AF cyber tasking order" identifying the CTO [Cyber Tasking Order] as a standard tasking product analogous to an air tasking order (page 30). Lastly, this interim change reflects a more current listing of policy and doctrine in Appendix B and in the References section, and it updates terms and definitions in the Glossary. [...] Today, we live in a globally-networked society that is increasingly dependent upon cyberspace access and security. Our ability to gain and maintain superiority in cyberspace has become essential to our ability to deliver global reach, power, and vigilance. As an integral member of the joint warfighting team, the Air Force is committed to growing, sustaining, and presenting highly skilled and well-equipped forces to joint force commanders who can deliver decisive effects in, from, and through cyberspace, while assuring our mission against an asymmetric cyber threat. Freedom of action in the cyberspace domain enables our command, control, communication, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Our modern defenses, industrial base, and global commerce, as well as that of our nation's enemies, depend on free use of land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. Leverage in cyberspace affords influence and control across all other domains. This leverage increases our forces' access, speed, reach, stealth, and precision. Controlling the portions of cyberspace integral to our mission is a fundamental prerequisite to effective operations across the range of military operations. While we appreciate the power that cyber-enabled capabilities add, we also maintain a healthy respect for the asymmetric power that cyberspace affords our adversaries. We must maintain a constant commitment to educate, train, and equip our Airman to prevail in the contested domain of cyberspace."

  United States. Air Force

  2011-11-30
• Air Force Strategic Weather Modernization Plan

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  "In line with the 'Air Force Priorities for a New Strategy with Constrained Budgets', February 2012, from the Secretary and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Force Weather will most likely become smaller and more efficient. At the same time, Air Force Weather must retain critical capabilities that support the Air Force's ability to maintain 'agility, flexibility, and readiness to engage a full range of contingencies and threats.' To meet the challenges ahead, Air Force Weather will continue to improve its capabilities to support military operations while simultaneously finding ways to be more efficient and effective. The 2009 Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) approved Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) for Meteorological and Oceanographic (METOC) Environment outlines the capabilities required by weather forces to provide accurate and relevant characterizations of the atmospheric, maritime, terrestrial, and space environments that the joint force commander can exploit to ensure successful military operations. Air Force Weather modernization efforts will focus on the needs and shortfalls documented in the ICD."

  United States. Air Force

  2012-12
• Energy Horizons: United States Air Force, Energy S&T Vision 2011-2026

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  "Energy is essential to all Air Force (AF) missions. This 'Energy Horizons' Science and Technology (S&T) vision provides the Air Force a vector to increase energy supply, reduce demand, and change our culture as articulated in our 'Air Force Energy Plan'. 'Energy Horizons' delineates S&T areas where the Air Force should lead, follow, or watch in order to advance operational readiness, resiliency, and robustness while at the same time supporting national objectives of economic development, environmental stewardship, and supply independence. 'Energy Horizons' provides the Air Force vision and blueprint for energy S&T spanning the domains of air, space, cyber, and infrastructure. 'Energy Horizons' focuses on S&T in the near (1-5 years), mid (6-10 years), and far (11-15 years) term that hold the most promise to revolutionize AF operations, efficiency, and effectiveness. In partnership with operators and technologists from across the Air Force, the Office of the Chief Scientist engaged experts across government, industry, academia, National Laboratories, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (see Appendix C and D) to identify the most promising energy S&T."

  United States. Air Force

  2012-01-31
• Global Horizons: Final Report

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  "The key findings of the Air Force [AF] 'Global Horizons' study are: [1] Constraints (natural resource, human, budget, time) compel efficiency, speed, and focus. [2] S&T [Science & Technology] recommendations from 'Technology Horizons' (autonomy, human effectiveness), 'Energy Horizons' (generation, use, distribution), and 'Cyber Vision 2025' (mission assurance, resiliency and agility, human machine integration, trust) studies remain valid. [3] Global domains will be increasingly contested, congested, and competitive, adversely impacting AF core functions. [4] Strategic opportunity exists to leverage $1.4 trillion in global R&D [Research & Development] investment; rapid and efficient leverage of global invention/innovation is essential to sustaining advantage. [5] Supply of educated talent will be constrained and contested. Global threats and opportunities compel action on the following key study recommendations: [1] Enhance global S&T vigilance to anticipate and counter strategic threats [...]. [2] Focus AF S&T on game changers with associated revolutionary CONOPS [concept of operations] [...] with priority effort on: [3] Trusted and resilient cyberspace1 [sic] assured PNT [positioning, navigation, and timing] (e.g., cold atoms, vision based navigation), hypersonics and directed energy weapons, bio-inspired computation, advanced materials and manufacturing, personalized health and performance. [4] Employ agile and innovative acquisition approaches (e.g., grand challenges/prizes, crowdsourcing, ACTDs [Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration], prototyping); foster partnerships [...]; shape doctrine, policy, and processes (RDT&E [Research, Development, Test and Evaluation], digital thread) for agility, speed, and economy. [...]. [5] Proactively track and leverage AF relevant global industrial investments (e.g., transportation, manufacturing, health) and pursue strategic international partnering. [...]. [6] Inspire and focus accession, development and retention of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce."

  United States. Air Force

  2013-06-21
• Fact Sheet: Air National Guard

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  "The Air National Guard is administered by the National Guard Bureau, a joint bureau of the departments of the Army and Air Force, located in the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. It is one of the seven Reserve components of the United States armed forces that augments the active components in the performance of their missions." This fact sheet contains sections on the missions of the Air National Guard, both federal and state; force structure; personnel and resources; flying units/functions and capabilities; and support unit functions and capabilities.

  United States. Air Force

  2006-07
• USAF Ballistic Missile Programs 1964-1966 [excised]

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  "This history covers a crucial period in the history of the Air Force missile program. While the Air Force was deactivating the liquid-fuelled Atlas ICBM, Air Force scientists and officials made decisions to undertake research and development work on MIRVs, an innovation that would intensify the U.S.-Soviet nuclear competition during the 1970s. […]. This study also covers Air Force programs to develop bomber-launched short-range attack missiles (SRAM) to destroy air defenses, decoys such as chaff clouds to complicate enemy defenses, and ICBM modernization with Minuteman II. Among Minuteman II's 'refinements' were an option for eight targets, using Greenwich Mean Time so that targets could be struck simultaneously, and ultra-high frequency receivers at launch facilities to establish communications with an airborne launch control center (ALCC). Another innovation was a proposed successor to Minuteman, a highly accurate Advanced ICBM, which would be deployed either in silos or mobile launchers. This report gives the impression (see page 6) that, in the event of a communications failure, the Air Force enacted arrangements to give Minuteman combat crews the authority to 'transmit the launch enable code on its own authority, an arrangement designed to cope with the possible destruction of the responsible headquarters.' This amounted to a predelegation arrangement, but apparently it was never put into effect. According to Bruce Blair, who was a Minuteman launch officer in the early 1970s, the 'predelegated enabling (arming) provision was never implemented in the field, and it certainly was not the case in 1970 and later.'"

  United States. Air Force

  Nalty, Bernard C.

  1967-03
• USAF Ballistic Missile Programs 1962-1964 [excised]

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  "This history covers the complex problems raised by the introduction of ICBMs into the U.S. arsenal, problems made more intricate by the transition from deployments of liquid-fueled ICBMs, such as Atlas, to the solid-fueled Minuteman. A key problem that the Air Force had to confront was the problem of missile reliability; the Atlas ICBM alone had about 40,000 'identifiable parts' and the possibility of malfunction made it necessary to develop testing programs to try to ensure that these intricate machines would launch and arrive at their targets. […]. Instead of narrowly focusing on the technology, the author explores the relationship between ICBM force deployments and strategic doctrine. According to the Air Force's Chief of Staff Curtis LeMay nuclear deterrence depended on a first strike capability and a force of 1,500 Minuteman missiles that could be used in a 'counterforce' strategy to destroy Soviet nuclear delivery systems. Although an advocate of 'counterforce' as a way to limit damage to the United States, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was dubious that the United States could successfully destroy Soviet missile forces even in a first strike. His main interest was a deterrent threat that could destroy Soviet society ('assured destruction') and McNamara believed that 1,000 Minuteman was enough for that. In the deep background of all of these histories, although seldom explicitly discussed, was the nuclear war plan, the Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), whose targeting emphasis followed LeMay's 'counterforce' preference, but included the urban-industrial targets covered by the 'assured destruction' concept."

  United States. Air Force

  Nalty, Bernard C.

  1966-04
• USAF Ballistic Missiles 1958-1959 [excised]

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  "One of the first in a series of Air Force histories of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program, this one reviews the early phases of the Atlas, Minuteman, and Titan missiles, as well as Thor and Jupiter intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBM) and the Skybolt air-launched missile. (Note 1) Rosenberg had access to Joint Chiefs of Staff files so the Air Force's interactions with the Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense are integral to his account. A good part of the narrative tells the story of the first generation liquid-fueled ICBMs and IRBMs, but this was the period when research and development work on the solid-fueled Minuteman ICBM became important to the Air Force agenda; with its expected low cost and ease of use, it promised to become an important part of the strategic arsenal. The author discusses the role of inter-service rivalry at every stage of the early history of Minuteman: for example, the Air Force saw the new ICBM as helping to maintain its competitive position with the Navy, which was developing its own solid-fuel vehicle, Polaris. Moreover, opposition from the Army and Navy influenced Air Force efforts to get priority assigned to work on the Minuteman."

  United States. Air Force

  Rosenberg, Max

  1960-07
• USAF Ballistic Missile Programs 1967-1968 [excised]

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  "This history continues the story of the complex effort to maintain and develop a reliable ICBM force, under centralized command and control, which could accurately destroy targets thousands of miles away. One part of that story was the Minuteman modernization program, which included the installation of such features as an 'enable command time' as another safeguard against unauthorized launch, development of plans for airborne launch control centers (ALCCs) that could be used to launch remotely 470 Minutemen, and the implementation of an emergency rocket communication system (ERCS) that would enable SAC headquarters to launch the Minuteman force during or after a nuclear strike. Also to ensure tighter control, SAC worked on a cancel launch in process (CLIP) program, which could prevent missile launch up to the moment the silo lid opened up. […]. In addition to the most significant weapon systems, the narrative covers chaff and decoys developed to protect against ABM, problems with developing short-range attack missiles (SRAMs) designed to destroy defensive radars, and hardrock silos that were to withstand overpressures of up to 3,000 pounds per square inch. Moreover, R&D on an Advanced ICBM proceeded, although the Defense Department was not ready to approve deployment during the mid-1970s, partly because it was not convinced of the need for a Minuteman follow-up."

  United States. Air Force

  Nalty, Bernard C.

  1969-09
• History of Air Force Atomic Cloud Sampling

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  "Atomic cloud sampling was one of the most distinctive military activities during the Cold War years when the United States conducted atmospheric nuclear tests. So that the 'efficiency' of nuclear weapons could be measured, drone and later piloted aircraft would fly through radioactive clouds to collect samples of radioactive particles and gases produced by the detonation. Radio-chemists and physicists would then analyze those materials. Not surprisingly, this study shows that atomic cloud sampling was difficult and hazardous work, to the extent that drone aircraft were used during early tests to avoid pilot exposure to radiation. Drones had their limits, however, and the Air Force and the Atomic Energy Commission came to believe that piloted aircraft could more effectively gather samples a few hours after a detonation. […]. Whether the safety measures were adequate or not, the nuclear testing bureaucracy began to develop protections such as special lead/fiberglass vests and lead-covered seats. Moreover, to minimize exposure crews and observers were rotated and aircraft had to be decontaminated. Finding the right aircraft was another problem; until B-57s were available, pilots had trouble flying into the heights of the huge clouds generated by megaton H-bomb tests. […]. Besides giving a history of cloud sampling activities during the major test series through the late 1950s, the author reviewed the nuclear intelligence mission of the 4926th Test Squadron, which included missions to collect air samples originating from tests in the Asian mainland. U-2 aircraft, controlled by the Strategic Air Command, were available for these missions."

  United States. Air Force

  1963-01