Strategic Command, U.S.

Military command established in 1992, which is one of nine U.S. military commands under the Department of Defense (DoD). The primary responsibility of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) lies in providing early warnings of attacks against the United States. It also works to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The USSTRATCOM has its origins in the establishment of the U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC) at the beginning of the Cold War. Due to the development of nuclear capabilities by the Navy, the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff (JSTPS) was formed in 1960 to work with SAC to develop the Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP)—a nuclear war plan at the strategic level.

In June 1992, immediately following the end of the Cold War, the JSTPS and SAC were eliminated and USSTRATCOM was established to respond to the changing global political reality. In October 2002, USSTRATCOM was combined with the U.S. Space Command. This change reflected the current push toward restructuring the military to respond to the changing nature of security threats.

In January 2003, new duties were assigned to the U.S. Strategic Command: C4ISR (otherwise known as command and control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and global strike), Department of Defense Information Operations, and missile defense integration. The current mission of the USSTRATCOM is to establish and provide the full spectrum of global strike and coordinated space and information operations capabilities to meet national security objectives. The mission of USSTRATCOM is also to provide operational space support, integrated missile defense, global C4ISR, and specialized planning expertise.

The headquarters of USSTRATCOM is located in Nebraska at the Offutt Air Force Base. Located elsewhere in the country are other operations centers. Located in Arlington, Virginia, the Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO) of the USSTRATCOM acts to secure the information network of the Department of Defense. The Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, at the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station (CMAFS) in Wyoming, provides a real-time view of what is occurring in space. At Lockland Air Force Base in Texas, USSTRATCOM's Joint Information Operations Center (JIOC) helps to incorporate Information Operations (IO) into various military actions and plans.

The USSTRATCOM is headed by a member of the U.S. armed services who acts as the commander of various assigned forces from the four branches of the U.S. military. Approximately 2,500 personnel, coming from both military and civilian sectors, work at USSTRATCOM headquarters. Below the central command are smaller units, each assigned various tasks such as plans and policy, manpower and personnel, capability and resource integration, and global operations. Below global operations are subsections that focus on logistics, intelligence, C4 systems, and current operations.

Under USSTRATCOM are several task forces assisting it in carrying out its assigned mission. The intercontinental ballistic missiles network is one example of a resource under the USSTRATCOM. Other task forces include ballistic missile submarines, aerial/refueling submarines, and reconnaissance aircraft and strategic bombers. The Army Space and [Page 683]Missile Defense Command (SMDC), and Army Forces Strategic Command (ARSTRAT) are commands within the army that provide support for USSTRATCOM. Within the Air Force, the Strategic Air Forces (STRATAF) and the Air Force Space Command occupy the same role. The U.S. Marines also have a specific command, the Marine Forces Strategic Command (MARFORSTRAT), to facilitate the use of marine forces under the command of USSTRATCOM. Within the U.S. Navy, it is the Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM) that controls the naval resources used by USSTRATCOM.

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