United States Strategic Command

{{Short description|United States military command structure}} {{Redirect|Strategic Command|other uses|Strategic Command (disambiguation)}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = United States Strategic Command | image = File:Seal of United States Strategic Command.svg | image_size = 200px | caption = Official emblem of United States Strategic Command. | start_date = {{Start date|1992|06|01}} | country = {{flagu|United States}} | allegiance = | branch = | type = Functional combatant command | role = Strategic deterrence, global strike, integrated missile defense, global C4ISR | size = 150,000 personnel, 14 ballistic missile submarines, 400 ICBMs, 140 bombers | command_structure = {{dodseal|DOD}} U.S. Department of Defense | garrison = Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, U.S. | garrison_label = Headquarters | equipment = | website = {{URL|https://www.stratcom.mil/}} | commander1 = ADM Richard A. Correll, USN | commander1_label = Commander | commander2 = Lt Gen Michael J. Lutton, USAF | commander2_label = Deputy Commander | commander3 = SgtMaj Howard L. Kreamer, USMC | commander3_label = Command Senior Enlisted Leader | notable_commanders =  | identification_symbol = 150px | identification_symbol_label = pre-2002 seal | identification_symbol_2 = 100px | identification_symbol_2_label = Strategic Command Army Element SSI | nickname = STRATCOM, USSTRATCOM | motto = ''Peace is our Profession ...'' | colors = | mascot = | battles = | anniversaries = | decorations = | battle_honours = }} {{United States Armed Forces sidebar}} {{US nuclear weapons sidebar}}

The '''United States Strategic Command''' ('''USSTRATCOM''' or '''STRATCOM''') is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. Headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, USSTRATCOM is responsible for strategic nuclear deterrence, global strike, and operating the Defense Department's Global Information Grid. It also provides a host of capabilities to support the other combatant commands, including integrated missile defense; and global '''command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance''' ('''C4ISR'''). This command exists to give "national leadership a unified resource for greater understanding of specific threats around the world and the means to respond to those threats rapidly".<ref name="stratcom.mil">{{cite web|url=http://www.stratcom.mil/About/|title=About|website=www.stratcom.mil}}</ref><ref name="stratcom.mil1">{{cite web|url=http://www.stratcom.mil/About/History/|title=History|website=www.stratcom.mil}}</ref>

==Mission statement== USSTRATCOM employs nuclear, cyber, global strike, joint electronic warfare, missile defense, and intelligence capabilities to deter aggression, decisively and accurately respond if deterrence fails, assure allies, shape adversary behavior, defeat terror, and define the force of the future.<ref name="stratcom.mil2">{{cite web|url=http://www.stratcom.mil/About/Command-Snapshot/|title=Command Snapshot|website=www.stratcom.mil}}</ref>

==Priorities== *Strategic Deterrence *Decisive Response *A Combat-Ready Force<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/>

==Commander's intent== *Embrace strategic deterrence, consisting of innovative joint fighting forces integrated and synchronized in multiple domains to ensure national security. *Ensure a decisive response to aggression, against any threat, when called upon by civilian national leadership. *Anticipate and meet tactical, theater, and strategic demands through operational plans and capability development. *Develop the next generation of people and capabilities in order to prevail in future conflicts.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/>

==Headquarters organizational structure== [[File:Minuteman III in silo 1989.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A Minuteman III ICBM in its missile silo]] [[File:US Navy 090630-N-1841C-015 Ohio class ballistic missile submarine USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) transits the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway as it returns to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga. from a patrol mission.jpg|thumb|USS ''West Virginia'', an ''Ohio''-class nuclear-powered submarine]] [[File:B-52 and B-2.jpg|thumb|B-52 and B-2 bombers flying in formation]] *J1 – Human Capital: Develops and administers command manpower and personnel policies, human resources, and personnel assignment programs.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/> *J2 – Intelligence: Responsible for delivering all-source intelligence while enabling the execution of assigned strategic deterrence, space and cyberspace operations. Directs all intelligence-related support for the commander and ensures unity of intelligence effort across the Command.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/> *J3 – Global Operations: Coordinates the planning, employment and operation of DoD strategic assets and combines all current operations, intelligence, and global command and control operations. Subdivisions within J3 include Combat and Information Operations, Current Operations, Logistics, and Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO).<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/> *J4 – Logistics: The Logistics Directorate plans, coordinates and executes joint logistics functions, and provides capability-based readiness assessments and facilities management in support of U.S. Strategic Command's global mission.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/> *J5 – Plans and Policy: Responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of national security policy as it applies to the command and the execution of its mission. Develops future plans, policy and strategy across all mission areas as outlined in the Unified Command Plan.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/> *J6 – C4 Systems: Coordinates, facilitates, monitors and assesses systems, networks and communications requirements.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/> *J7 – Joint Exercises, Training and Assessments: Manages the USSTRATCOM commander's Joint Exercises, Training, and Assessments programs in order to ensure readiness to perform the Command missions. Provides modeling and simulation support for exercises and training events to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Combatant Commands, and other Major Commands (MAJCOM). Manages the Joint Lessons Learned Program. Augments the battle staff during a crisis.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/> *J8 – Capability and Resource Integration: Conducts force management and analysis to include integrating, coordinating, prioritizing, and advocating USSTRATCOM future concepts, mission capability needs, weapons system development, support for emerging technologies, and command and control architecture across the mission areas. Responsible for all command requirement processes, and ensures appropriate decision support tools and assessment processes are in place to enhance operational capabilities.<ref name="stratcom.mil2"/>

==Organizational structure== ===Component Commands=== {{Update section|date=January 2026|reason=the listed commands do not match what is listed on the US Stratcom link https://www.stratcom.mil/About/}} {|class="wikitable center" |- ! Emblem !! Command (Acronym) !! Commander !! Established !! Headquarters !! Subordinate Commands |- | 50px|center ||{{center|U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smdc.army.mil/|title = United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command Home Page}}</ref>}} || Lt General Sean A. Gainey || {{dts|format=dmy|1997|10|01}} || Redstone Arsenal, Alabama|| * 30px 100th Missile Defense Brigade |- | 75px || {{center|U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USSF) Joint Force Maritime Component Command<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usff.navy.mil/|title = US Navy Fleet Forces Command}}</ref>}} || Admiral Karl O. Thomas U.S. Navy || {{dts|format=dmy|1906|01|01}} || Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Virginia || 20px Submarine Force Atlantic |- | 75px || {{center|Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Joint Force Air Component Command<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afgsc.af.mil/Units/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419094401/http://www.afgsc.af.mil/Units/|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 April 2017|title = AFGSC Units}}</ref>}} || General Stephen L. Davis U.S. Air Force || {{dts|format=dmy|1944|12|15}} || Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana || 20px Eighth Air Force 20px Twentieth Air Force |- | || {{center|Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command (MARFORSTRAT)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marforstrat.marines.mil/|title=U.S. Marine Corps Forces, U.S. Strategic Command|publisher=U.S. Marines|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref>}} || Lt. General Melvin G. Carter U.S. Marine Corps || {{dts|format=dmy|2003|10|01}} || Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska || |- |}

==Command posts== The Global Operations Center, or GOC, is the nerve center for USSTRATCOM. The GOC is responsible for the global situational awareness of the commander, USSTRATCOM, and is the mechanism by which he exercises operational command and control of the Nation's global strategic forces.<ref name="stratcom.mil"/> thumb|Gen. Curtis E. LeMay Building, U.S. Strategic Command Headquarters [[File:E-6B_Mercury_flies_over_Solomons_Island_in_November_2014.JPG|thumb|E-6B Mercury, USSTRATCOM ABNCP]]

The Alternate Processing and Correlation Center in the USSTRATCOM Underground Command Complex at Offutt AFB provides an alternate missile warning correlation center to the Cheyenne Mountain Missile Warning Center. It is the prime source of missile warning data for USSTRATCOM for force survival and force management. The facility consists of the integration of the SCIS, CSSR, and CCPDS-R systems and also upgrade equipment and communications links.

thumb|USSTRATCOM Airborne Command Post crew members responding to their aircraft during an alert response exercise U.S. Strategic Command's Airborne Command Post (ABNCP), also called "Looking Glass", allows USSTRATCOM the ability to command, control, and communicate with its nuclear forces should ground-based command centers become inoperable.<ref name="stratcom.mil3">{{cite web|url=http://www.stratcom.mil/Media/Factsheets/Factsheet-View/Article/960928/e-6b-airborne-command-post-abncp/|title=E-6B Airborne Command Post (ABNCP)|website=stratcom.mil}}</ref>

==History== USSTRATCOM was originally formed in 1992, as a successor to Strategic Air Command<ref name="C">{{cite web |url=http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/jfq_pubs/1231.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051017033516/http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/jfq_pubs/1231.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2005-10-17 |title=New Challenges for the Unified Command Plan |author=W. Spencer Johnson |date=2002 |website=www.dtic.mil |access-date=30 July 2018}}</ref> in response to the end of the Cold War and a new vision of nuclear warfare in U.S. defense policy.<ref name="A">{{cite web |url=http://www.stratcom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/1323859/usstratcom-celebrates-15-years/ |title=USSTRATCOM Celebrates 15 Years |author= |date=25 September 2017 |website=www.stratcom.mil |publisher=USSTRATCOM Public Affairs |access-date=29 July 2018 }}</ref><ref name="B">{{cite book |last1= Rita Clark (LtCol, USAFR) |last2= Dr. Vincent Giroux, Jr. |last3= Dr. Todd White |date=15 August 2013 |title=History of the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) – Nuclear Weapons, Cold War Strategy, Service Rivalries, Arms Control |publisher=Progressive Management |isbn=978-1-30-101083-7}}</ref> Department of Defense changes in command structure due to the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986, led to a single command responsible for all strategic nuclear weapons. As a result, USSTRATCOM's principal mission was to deter military attack, and if deterrence failed, to counter with nuclear weapons.<ref name="D">{{cite web |url=http://www.stratcom.mil/About/History/ |title=History |author= |date=January 2018 |website=US Strategic Command |access-date=29 July 2018 |quote=In addition to the dramatic changes in the global landscape associated with the end of the Cold War, changes in the structure of the DoD stemming from the 1986 "Goldwater-Nichols Act" led national leaders to favor a single command responsible for all strategic nuclear forces. The new command's principal mission was to deter military attack, especially nuclear attack, on the United States and its allies and, if deterrence failed, to employ nuclear forces.}}</ref>

Throughout its history, it has drawn from important contributions from many different organizations stretching back to World War II. Providing national leadership with a single command responsible for all strategic nuclear forces, General George Butler, in establishing the new command, borrowed from the work of General Curtis LeMay, an early commander of Strategic Air Command. LeMay was a very vocal advocate for a strong national defense, particularly as regards nuclear weapons.<ref name="B" />

Being a Unified Command, another major concern for Gen. Butler was interservice rivalry, having soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in one command.<ref name="B" /> There had been decades of rivalry between the branches of the U.S. military regarding control of nuclear weapons. Even though a compromise had established the '''Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff''', there were systemic and institutional problems that could not be overcome.

USSTRATCOM was re-structured 1 October 2002 by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.<ref name="A" /> It was now to merge with the United States Space Command and assume all duties for full-spectrum global strike, operational space support, integrated missile defense, and global Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) and specialized planning.<ref name="C" /> Its duties now include intelligence and cyber support as well as monitoring orbiting satellites and space debris.

In February 2008, USSTRATCOM succeeded in destroying a satellite, USA193, about to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.<ref name="E">{{cite web |url=http://www.stratcom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/983774/usstratcom-comments-on-space-debris-article/ |title=USSTRATCOM Comments on Space Debris Article |author=U.S. Strategic Command Public Affairs |date=1 February 2010 |website=www.stratcom.mil |access-date=30 July 2018}}</ref>

USSTRATCOM also supported United States Africa Command's 2011 military intervention in Libya in a variety of ways, including long-range conventional strikes and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).<ref name="F">{{cite web |url=http://www.stratcom.mil/About/History/ |title=History |author= |date=January 2018 |website=US Strategic Command |access-date=29 July 2018 |quote=In 2011, it supported U.S. Africa Command's operations against Libya in a variety of ways, including long-range conventional strikes and ISR.}}</ref>

An intention by the U.S. Air Force to create a 'cyber command' was announced in October 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/US_Air_Force_Prepares_For_Cyber_Warfare_999.html |title=US Air Force Prepares For Cyber Warfare |author=John C.K. Daly |publisher=Space Daily |date=9 October 2006 |access-date=30 July 2018}}</ref> On 21 May 2010, part of USSTRATCOM's responsibility regarding cyber-warfare operations was spun off into a 10th Unified Command, the United States Cyber Command. As a result, USSTRATCOM's Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO) and Joint Functional Component Command – Network Warfare (JFCC-NW) were disestablished.

== List of combatant commanders == {{Main|Leadership of the United States Strategic Command}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! rowspan=2| {{abbr|No.|Number}} ! colspan=2| Commander ! colspan=3| Term ! rowspan=2| Service branch |- ! Portrait ! Name ! Took office ! Left office ! Term length |- {{Officeholder table | order = 1 | military_rank = General | image = GEN George L Butler.jpg | officeholder = George L. Butler | officeholder_sort = Butler, George L. | born_year = 1939 | died_year = | term_start = 1 June 1992 | term_end = 14 February 1994 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|01 June 1992|14 February 1994}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Air Force }} {{Officeholder table | order = 2 | military_rank = Admiral | image = Henry G Chiles.jpg | officeholder = Henry G. Chiles Jr. | officeholder_sort = Chiles, Henry G. Jr. | born_year = 1938 | died_year = | term_start = 14 February 1994 | term_end = 21 February 1996 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|14 February 1994|21 February 1996}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Navy }} {{Officeholder table | order = 3 | military_rank = General | image = Eugene E Habiger.jpg | officeholder = Eugene E. Habiger | officeholder_sort = Habiger, Eugene E. | born_year = 1939 | died_year = 2022 | term_start = 21 February 1996 | term_end = 1 August 1998 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|21 February 1996|1 August 1998}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Air Force }} {{Officeholder table | order = 4 | military_rank = Admiral | image = Adm. Richard W. Mies STRATCOM.gif | officeholder = Richard W. Mies | officeholder_sort = Mies, Richard W. | born_year = 1944 | died_year = | term_start = 1 August 1998 | term_end = 30 November 2001 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|1 August 1998|30 November 2001}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Navy }} {{Officeholder table | order = 5 | military_rank = Admiral | image = James o ellis.jpg | officeholder = James O. Ellis Jr. | officeholder_sort = Ellis, James O. Jr. | born_year = 1947 | died_year = | term_start = 30 November 2001 | term_end = 9 July 2004 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|30 November 2001|9 July 2004}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Navy }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | military_rank = Lieutenant General | image = LtGen James E. Cartwright.jpg | officeholder = James E. Cartwright | officeholder_sort = Cartwright, James E. | born_year = 1949 | died_year = | term_start = 9 July 2004 | term_end = 1 September 2004 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|9 July 2004|1 September 2004}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Marine Corps | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = 6 | military_rank = General | image = James E. Cartwright.jpg | officeholder = James E. Cartwright | officeholder_sort = Cartwright, James E. | born_year = 1949 | died_year = | term_start = 1 September 2004 | term_end = 10 August 2007 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|1 September 2004|10 August 2007}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Marine Corps }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | military_rank = Lieutenant General | image = C. Robert Kehler 2007.jpg | officeholder = C. Robert Kehler | officeholder_sort = Kehler, C. Robert | born_year = 1952 | died_year = | term_start = 10 August 2007 | term_end = 3 October 2007 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|10 August 2007|3 October 2007}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Air Force | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = 7 | military_rank = General | image = Kevin P. Chilton.jpg | officeholder = Kevin P. Chilton | officeholder_sort = Chilton, Kevin P. | born_year = 1954 | died_year = | term_start = 3 October 2007 | term_end = 28 January 2011 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|3 October 2007|28 January 2011}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Air Force }} {{Officeholder table | order = 8 | military_rank = General | image = Kehler 2013.jpg | officeholder = C. Robert Kehler | officeholder_sort = Kehler, C. Robert | born_year = 1952 | died_year = | term_start = 28 January 2011 | term_end = 15 November 2013 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|28 January 2011|15 November 2013}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Air Force }} {{Officeholder table | order = 9 | military_rank = Admiral | image = Admiral Cecil D. Haney STRATCOM.jpg | officeholder = Cecil D. Haney | officeholder_sort = Haney, Cecil D. | born_year = 1955 | died_year = | term_start = 15 November 2013 | term_end = 3 November 2016 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|15 November 2013|3 November 2016}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Navy }} {{Officeholder table | order = 10 | military_rank = General | image = Gen John E. Hyten (2).jpg | officeholder = John E. Hyten | officeholder_sort = Hyten, John E. | born_year = 1959 | died_year = | term_start = 3 November 2016 | term_end = 18 November 2019 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|3 November 2016|18 November 2019}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Air Force }} {{Officeholder table | order = 11 | military_rank = Admiral | image = Chas_Richard_STRATCOM_2019.jpg | officeholder = Charles A. Richard | officeholder_sort = Richard, Charles A. | born_year = 1959 | died_year = | term_start = 18 November 2019 | term_end = 9 December 2022 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|18 November 2019|9 December 2022}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Navy }} {{Officeholder table | order = 12 | military_rank = General | image = Gen Anthony J. Cotton (2).jpg | officeholder = Anthony J. Cotton | officeholder_sort = Cotton, Anthony J. | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = 9 December 2022 | term_end = 5 December 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|9 December 2022|5 December 2025}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Air Force {{Officeholder table | order = 13 | military_rank = Admiral | image = Admiral Richard A. Correll.jpg | officeholder = Richard A. Correll | officeholder_sort = Cotton, Anthony J. | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = 5 December 2025 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|5 December 2025|}} | defence_branch = 75px U.S. Navy }} }} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} * [http://www.stratcom.mil/ United States Strategic Command Official Website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20170420143950/http://www.stratcom.mil/Media/Factsheets/Factsheet-View/Article/960928/e-6b-airborne-command-post-abncp/ US Strategic Command Airborne Command Post Fact Sheet] * [https://www.airandspaceforces.com/PDF/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents/2008/August%202008/0808space.pdf 2008 Space Almanac], Air Force Magazine, Journal of the Air Force Assoc., August 2008. * [https://fas.org/spp/military/program/nssrm/initiatives/usspace.htm FAS: United States Space Command (USSPACECOM)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902142802/http://fas.org/spp/military/program/nssrm/initiatives/usspace.htm |date=2 September 2016 }} * [http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06847.pdf GAO Report: Additional Actions Needed by U.S. Strategic Command to Strengthen Implementation of Its Many Missions and New Organization]

Category:United States Strategic Command Strategic Command Category:Military globalization Category:Military units and formations established in 1992 Category:1992 establishments in the United States Category:Military units and formations in Nebraska Category:Organizations based in Omaha, Nebraska Category:United States nuclear command and control Category:Strategic forces