The 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., is preparing to deploy a fleet of new half-ton four-wheel drive trucks to ferry missile crews and equipment to the ICBM fields surrounding the base, announced wing officials. “The current trucks are averaging around 190,000 miles each,” said MSgt. Adam Varga, 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle supervisor, in the Dec. 12 base release. Air Force Global Strike Command is recapitalizing the vehicle fleets at each of its three ICBM wings, which include the 91st MW at Minot AFB, N.D., and the 341st MW at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., in addition to F.E. Warren. The command has delivered 48 of the 95 planned vehicles as part of its Force Improvement Program. “When the older vehicles have to haul up to four people out at a time, plus all of the winter and survival gear, it can overload the vehicle,” added Art Nyberg, Minot’s vehicle maintenance manager. “The new pickups … are a lot safer for the airmen and a much better fit for our mission,” he said.
A record investment in research and development by the Department of the Air Force will help the United States win the long-term technology race with China, even while shrinking the fleet size before a possible mid-decade Taiwan contingency, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said May 17. “With the Air Force,…