GREAT FALLS
Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls is one of six finalists to be the home of the Air Force's new Global Strike Command. The military created the command to consolidate control of the Air Force's nuclear-capable missiles and jet wings. It comes after a series of embarrassing missteps, including the flight of a B-52 bomber that was mistakenly armed with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles and flown from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana in August 2007. The provisional Global Strike Command is currently housed at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D. C. Along with Malmstrom, candidate bases to become Global Strike Command headquarters are Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, F.E. Warren in Wyoming, Minot in North Dakota, Offutt in Nebraska and Whiteman in Missouri. A decision is expected by June. Capt. Elizabeth Aptekar, a spokeswoman for the secretary of the Air Force, said Thursday that the Global Strike Command is planning on employing about 900 people, including some civilians. Site surveys will be done at each base, she said. Teams will evaluate each base for general feasibility, estimated costs and a timetable. "The team will evaluate numerous factors such as availability of land or facilities, existing condition, future Missions, economic impact and environmental constraints to determine if the base is a viable location," Aptekar said. She also said the team won't be comparing bases, that each survey is done independent of other site surveys. After the surveys and subsequent reports are completed, the team will make a recommendation. (AP)
