KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The Air Force established a new Program Executive Officer position for Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and transitioned the duties of a second PEO role at the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC), effective April 8.
In February, Air Force senior leaders announced changes to several PEO positions as part of 24 key decisions to reoptimize the Department of the Air Force for Great Power Competition. Two of these positions are in AFNWC: 1) PEO for Nuclear Air-Delivered (NAD) systems and 2) PEO for ICBMs.
Brig. Gen. William Rogers joined the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and assumed the role of the Air Force’s newest PEO for ICBMs on April 8.
The PEO for ICBMs is responsible for inception-to-retirement and integrated weapons system management of the Minuteman III (LGM-30) and Sentinel (LGM-35) ICBM weapon systems in support of efforts to deter and prevail in an era of Great Power Competition.
Maj. Gen. John Newberry, AFNWC commander, said the ICBMs PEO is critical to providing enduring, effective deterrence against adversaries of the United States.
Previously, Rogers served as the PEO for Bombers at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In that role, he oversaw the modernization and sustainment of the bombers portfolio, which includes the B-1, B-2 and B-52. He was also responsible for organizing, training and equipping the center’s B-21 System Program Office.
Newberry said Rogers’ previous bombers experience and support to Air Force Global Strike Command served as preparation for the intricacies he will face in navigating the modernization of nuclear weapon systems.
“The PEO role is very familiar to him, so I have no doubt it will be a smooth transition,” Newberry said. “We are grateful to have him at AFNWC and welcome him to the family.”
Coming into his new role as PEO for ICBMs, Rogers said his number one priority is nuclear deterrence.
“The creation of this PEO role is a significant step forward for the Air Force’s efforts in reoptimizing for Great Power Competition,” Rogers said. “We will provide our nation with strong strategic deterrence through sustainment and modernization of the land-based leg of the nuclear triad. I am incredibly excited to be here, and I am committed to ensuring our nation's most powerful weapon systems are never doubted, always feared.”
Additionally, Newberry recently transitioned from his role as the PEO for Strategic Systems to serving as the PEO for both NAD and Integration. Previously, as the PEO for Strategic Systems, he was responsible for the lifecycle management of Air Force nuclear weapons systems supporting two legs of the nation’s nuclear triad, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, gravity bombs, nuclear certification, and nuclear command-and-control communications systems.
As the PEO for NAD, Newberry is responsible for all lifecycle activities for air-delivered nuclear weapons. As the nuclear integration PEO, he is responsible for nuclear materiel management across the Department of the Air Force and serves as a champion for driving integration, interoperability and data sharing.
Newberry remains dual-hatted as the center commander.
“The consequence of failure in our nuclear mission is immeasurably higher than in any other mission set in the Department of Defense,” Newberry said. “This change stands to make our center’s capabilities even stronger.”
Scott Hardiman, the PEO for Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3), remains dual-hatted as the AFNWC Director of NC3 Integration and will be gaining additional NC3-focused programs in the future.
The PEO role provides executive management to support the acquisition mission, including product support, and reports directly to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics as the Service Acquisition Executive. The PEOs reside in various Air Force organizations, including AFNWC. Acquisition execution and management responsibility flow directly, without interruption, from the Service Acquisition Executive to the PEOs to the Program Managers.
AFNWC is responsible for synchronizing all aspects of nuclear materiel management on behalf of the Department of the Air Force. Headquartered at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, the center has more than 2,000 military and civilian personnel assigned to 20 locations worldwide.