Strategic Air Command

Strategic Air Command
Shield of Strategic Air Command
Active1947–1992: US Air Force
1946–1947: US Army Air Forces
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
TypeMajor Command / Specified Command
Garrison/HQ9 November 1948: Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
21 October 1946: Andrews Field, Maryland
21 March 1946: Bolling Field, District of Columbia
Motto(s)"Peace is Our Profession"
March"Strategic Air Command March"[1]
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Gen Curtis LeMay
Insignia
Shield (subdued)

Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile components of the United States military's strategic nuclear forces[2] from 1946 to 1992. SAC was also responsible for strategic reconnaissance aircraft; airborne command posts; and most of the USAF's aerial refueling aircraft.

SAC primarily consisted of the Second Air Force (2AF), Eighth Air Force (8AF) and the Fifteenth Air Force (15AF), while SAC headquarters (HQ SAC) included Directorates for Operations & Plans, Intelligence, Command & Control, Maintenance, Training, Communications, and Personnel. At a lower echelon, SAC headquarters divisions included Aircraft Engineering, Missile Concept,[3] and Strategic Communications.

In 1992, as part of an overall post-Cold War reorganization of the U.S. Air Force, SAC was disestablished as both a Specified Command and as a MAJCOM, and its personnel and equipment redistributed among the Air Combat Command (ACC), Air Mobility Command (AMC), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), and Air Education and Training Command (AETC), while SAC's central headquarters complex at Offutt AFB, Nebraska was concurrently transferred to the newly created United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), which was established as a joint Unified Combatant Command to replace SAC's Specified Command role.

In 2009, SAC was reactivated and redesignated as the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). AFGSC eventually acquired all USAF bomber aircraft and the intercontinental ballistic missile force.[4]

  1. ^ Williams, Clifton (27 August 2014). "Strategic Air Command March". Spotify. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  2. ^ Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 232. ISBN 9780850451634.
  3. ^ "Alliant Techsystems Names Blalock to Head New Colorado Springs Field Marketing Office" (news release). ATK.com. 9 December 1997. Retrieved 8 September 2013. Chief, Missile Concept Division, Headquarters, Strategic Air Command
  4. ^ "Fact Sheet: Air Force Global Strike Command". afhra.af.mil. 17 July 2009. Archived from the original (news release) on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2015.