Maj. Gen. Donald Alston assumed command of 20th Air Force during a July 1 ceremony at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. The numbered air force oversees the nation’s Minuteman III ICBMs that are dispersed in silos over parts of Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. “This is a great honor and opportunity,” said Alston at the change-in-command ceremony. Alston replaced Maj. Gen. Roger Burg, who had led 20th AF since August 2007 and is retiring from active duty after 32 years of service, effective Sept. 1. “I cannot think of anyone more qualified than General Alston to take command of 20th Air Force at this point in our history,” said Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, Air Force Global Strike Command boss and one of the ceremony’s featured speakers. Alston led the Air Staff’s nuclear office from November 2008 and is considered the architect of the service’s 2008 nuclear roadmap. (F.E. Warren report.)
The Air Force is moving forward with a new, algorithm-driven system to help U.S. Northern Command better detect airborne threats. NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which are tasked with protecting the homeland from attack, depend on a slew of radars and other data systems to monitor U.S.…