GLOBAL STRIKE ... ANY TARGET, ANY TIME
Global strike, a significant portion of America’s deterrence capability, means that the Nation can project military power more
rapidly, more flexibly, and with a lighter footprint than other military options. With the expertise of over 26,000 Airmen,
the Air Force’s nuclear and conventional precision strike forces can credibly threaten and effectively conduct global strike by holding any target on the planet at risk and, if necessary, disabling or destroying it promptly—even from bases in the continental United States. These forces possess the unique ability to achieve tactical, operational, and strategic effects all in
the course of a single combat mission. Global strike missions include a wide range of crisis response and escalation control
options, such as providing close air support to troops at risk, interdicting enemy forces, inserting special operations forces,
and targeting an adversary’s vital centers. Whether employed from forward bases or enabled by in-flight refueling, global
strike derives from a wide-range of systems that include bombers, missiles, special operations platforms, fighters, and other
Air Force aircraft.
Against a backdrop of increasingly contested air, space, and cyber environments around the
world, the Air Force must maintain its ability to hold any target at risk. In efforts to counter
our existing global strike advantage, some states that do not share our interests and values are
hardening and burying key weapons and command and control facilities. The Air Force will
maintain its ability to neutralize such targets so that America’s military credibility will remain
uncontested, allies will not worry, and potential adversaries will not be emboldened to challenge
us in the pursuit of our national objectives. This capability, unmatched by any other nation’s
air force, will be of growing importance as America rebalances its force structure and faces
potential adversaries that are modernizing their militaries to deny access to our forces. The
Air Force will focus future efforts on modernizing global strike assets to ensure that American
forces are prepared to act when, where, and how they are needed.
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