Air Force Global Strike Command’s bomb wings successfully completed the Constant Vigilance exercise on Wednesday. Airmen from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., and the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Mo., “honed their skills in planning and generating aircraft in surge operations” during the exercise, which ran From May 4-13, according to an AFGSC release. The annual exercise tests the command’s ability to perform its conventional and nuclear missions via notional scenarios. The results showed AFGSC had “effectively demonstrated” its capabilities in nuclear deterrence operations and long-range strike missions. “Only with continual, robust, and realistic training can we ensure our units are prepared and ready for this vital mission set,” said Robert Thomson, AFGSC’s exercise division chief.
NASA, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance are all preparing to launch their next-gen rockets from Florida’s Space Coast, two of them before the year is out. One is expected to liberate the U.S. launch enterprise from its reliance on Russian-made RD-180 engines, while all three rockets could eventually carry astronaut crews.