The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center is the nuclear-focused center within Air Force Materiel Command. It synchronizes all aspects of nuclear materiel management on behalf of the AFMC commander in direct support of Air Force Global Strike Command.
Established on March 31, 2006, and headquartered at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, the center has about 1,400 military and civilian personnel assigned at 18 locations worldwide. It consists of four major execution directorates: Air Delivered Capabilities; Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Systems; Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) Integration; and Nuclear Technology and Integration. It also has several functional directorates and its commander is dual-hatted as the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Strategic Systems.
Mission: Deliver nuclear capabilities warfighters use every day to deter and assure.
Vision: Ensuring our nation's most powerful weapon systems are never doubted, always feared.
Motto: Never Doubted, Always Feared
Strategic Goals:
— Resource, develop and care for a mission-driven workforce
— Time-certain delivery of capability to the warfighter
Major Organizations
Air Delivered Capabilities Directorate
The directorate is principally located at Kirtland AFB, with operating locations at Eglin AFB, Florida; Joint Base San Antonio, Texas; Ramstein AFB, Germany; Robins AFB, Georgia; Tinker AFB, Oklahoma; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. This directorate also has positions for deputy program managers and product support managers for nuclear matters embedded in program offices for the B-2, B-21, B-52, F-15, F-16, F-35, and authorized test systems and support equipment. The directorate is responsible for delivering, sustaining and supporting air-delivered nuclear weapon systems for our warfighters to secure the future of our nation and our allies every day. Programs managed by the directorate include: B61-12 Life Extension Program and tailkit, Long Range StandOff Weapon, W80-4 Life Extension Program, overseas Weapon Storage and Security System, Secure Transportable Maintenance System, Protective Aircraft Shelter Interior Intrusion Detection System, and Air-Launched Cruise Missile (AGM-86B/C/D) sustainment.
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Directorate
The directorate is principally located at Hill AFB, Utah, with operating locations at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Malmstrom AFB, Montana; Minot AFB, North Dakota; and Vandenberg AFB, California. It is responsible for inception-to-retirement, integrated weapons system management of the current LGM-30 Minuteman III and its replacement, the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent. The directorate develops, acquires and supports silo-based ICBMs and provides program direction and logistics support as the single face to the customer. The directorate is also responsible for acquisition, systems engineering and depot repair. It manages equipment spares, provides storage and transportation, and accomplishes modifications and equipment replacement to sustain silo-based ICBM systems.
Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Integration Directorate
The directorate achieved initial operational capability in December 2016. It is principally located at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, and Kirtland AFB. It includes personnel at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana; Fort Meade, Maryland; Los Angeles AFB, California; Hill AFB; Robins AFB; Tinker AFB; and Wright-Patterson AFB. It is responsible for integrating the AN/USQ.225 NC3 Weapon System across the Air Force. The directorate advises AFGSC on the NC3 Weapon System's technical architecture and informs key decisions regarding investment and modernization. The directorate is also responsible for the weapon system’s configuration management, system test, system verification, and system certification. In addition, its director is dual-hatted as the Air Force PEO for NC3.
Nuclear Technology and Integration Directorate
The directorate is located at Kirtland AFB. It is responsible for providing intelligence support to AFNWC, analyzing the full spectrum of weapons effects to support acquisition programs and inform tactics and procedures, and assessing current and future nuclear systems to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities. The directorate is also responsible for managing the Air Force's Nuclear Certification Program and leading the capability development initiatives for all pre-Milestone A/B activities within the center.
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Current as of September 2019)