Air Force Cheating Scandal Prompts Scrutiny of Nuclear Bomber Units

April 24, 2014 | Edited by Lauren Mladenka and Geoff Wilson

Taking the stand - “The Air Force will scrutinize its units that fly dozens of bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons across the globe, the latest aftershock of an embarrassing cheating scandal in its nuclear missile force that led to the unprecedented removal of nine commanders from their jobs and the resignation of a 10th in March,” Dan Lamothe reports for Foreign Policy. “The review, which hasn't previously been reported, is the next phase of the service's nuclear ‘force improvement program,’ and will operate in a similar fashion to the ongoing assessment of the beleaguered missile units, said Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, who oversees both forces from here as the chief of the Air Force's Global Strike Command.”

--“The bomber review will occur in May and June, and include interviews with hundreds of rank-and-file Air Force personnel. It comes just three months after senior Pentagon officials acknowledged that an investigation into drug use in the Air Force had uncovered widespread cheating on monthly proficiency tests among nuclear missile officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.”

--“Current Air Force Secretary Deborah James...and other top service officials have promised accountability following the latest crisis. But they also appear determined to do whatever they can to avoid another one. In addition to launching the review of the bomber force, Air Force leaders say they want to restore trust with the rank-and-file troops safeguarding the nation's nuclear missiles, and are actively looking for ways to do so.” Read the full report here. http://atfp.co/1mH2qAF

Pass/fail - “The Air Force is simplifying the way it grades nuclear-missile officers on their monthly exams,” writes Rachel Oswald in Global Security Newswire. “The service has ‘made the monthly [certification] test pass-fail,’ Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said at a Washington event. His remarks come in the wake of a high-profile cheating scandal at a Montana base that revealed a de facto expectation that perfect test scores were needed for advancement up the ranks.”

--“Welsh did not say in his remarks at the National Press Club what percentage of correct answers would be needed to pass the thumbs-up-or-down proficiency tests. It was previously reported that launch-control officers needed a score of at least 90 percent on each exam to maintain authorization to key in a firing code for one of the country's 450 ground-based strategic missiles.” Read the full story here. http://bit.ly/1hoF0wt

Returning to work - “Of the officers involved in the cheating at Malmstrom Air Force Base, about a third have been deemed fit to return to training so they can be certified to perform nuclear duties,” writes Jenn Rowell in the Great Falls Tribune. The Air Force Global Strike Command “sent disciplinary actions to 82 of the airmen involved March 27. Those actions included administrative actions such as a letter of counseling, letter of admonishment or letter of reprimand and non-judicial punishment. Those actions have not been finalized as the airmen are given the opportunity to seek legal counsel and respond. No decisions have been made yet on which officers, if any, will be removed from the ICBM career field, according to AFGSC.” Get the full story here. http://gftrib.com/1iilQUM

Tweet - @glubold: will U.S. undermine own argument that BMD plan in Europe isn't about Russia, it's about Iran, if it tweaks now? http://atfp.co/1icl6FC

Incoming funds - “India is set to pay Iran $1.65 billion over the next three months under an interim nuclear deal that eases sanctions on Tehran and gives it access to $4.2 billion in blocked funds,” writes Nidhi Verma in Reuters. “As long as Tehran complies with the terms of its preliminary agreement with western powers, which took effect on Jan. 20, Iran receives some of its funds frozen abroad in eight payments from various buyers over six months… This means Tehran will have access to the next two installments, each of $550 million, which are due on May 14 and June 17. The final $550 million installment, due on July 20, is contingent on confirmation that Iran has fulfilled all of its commitment.” Full article here. http://reut.rs/1lJmrmc

Nuclear accounting analysis - “Earlier this week, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran disclosed that his government is drafting a ‘comprehensive’ accounting of Iran’s nuclear activities,” writes Jofi Joseph in Iran Matters. “Although it is important to not exaggerate the importance of an isolated set of remarks, this development could be another hopeful indicator that the Iranian government is preparing its domestic constituencies for the compromises necessary to secure a comprehensive and permanent agreement on its nuclear program later this year.”

--A word on timing: “It is not essential that Iran provide a full accounting of its past and present weaponization activities by the time a comprehensive agreement is signed, which could occur as early as July. Genuine cooperation between Iran and IAEA inspectors will take time to unfold, and we shouldn’t necessarily seek to rush this process for the benefit of artificial deadlines.” Read the full piece here. http://bit.ly/1lICDst

Filing suit - “The tiny Pacific nation of the Marshall Islands is taking on the United States and the world's eight other nuclear-armed nations with an unprecedented lawsuit demanding that they meet their obligations toward disarmament and accusing them of ‘flagrant violations’ of international law,” writes Cara Anna for AP. “The island group that was used for dozens of U.S. nuclear tests after World War II was filing suit Thursday against each of the nine countries in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. It also was filing a federal lawsuit against the United States in San Francisco, naming President Barack Obama, the departments and secretaries of defense and energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The Marshall Islands claims the nine countries are modernizing their nuclear arsenals instead of negotiating disarmament, and it estimates that they will spend $1 trillion on those arsenals over the next decade.” Get the full story here. http://abcn.ws/1jUtJCv

Missile defense upgrade - “NATO has begun initial deliberations for upgrading the alliance's surveillance-aircraft fleet, with an eye toward improving its missile-defense capabilities. At issue is the way forward in replacing the alliance-owned Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft -- Boeing E-3 Sentry planes commonly known by the acronym AWACS -- sometime in the 2030s. Given the expectation of a long acquisition process for the project, some officials believe that the time is now to begin planning.” Read the full article from Sebastian Sprenger in Global Security Newswire. http://bit.ly/1pt72wl

Skipping bids - “Congressional investigators said the Defense Department was right to skip a competitive process for planned updates to B-2 strategic bombers,” reports Diane Barnes in Global Security Newswire. “Technologies to update the nuclear-capable aircraft were already far along in their development, and Pentagon data reveals little room to save money by soliciting more proposals from companies, universities or agencies, according to a Government Accountability Office analysis.”

--“The Defense Department informed legislative auditors in December of its intention not to pursue "competitive prototyping" for certain upgrades planned for the B-2 system, the report indicates. A 2009 law requires legislative auditors to scrutinize any Defense Department decision to skip the process, which can sometimes reduce expenses and the likelihood of technical problems, the document indicates.” Full article here. http://bit.ly/1tGrJok

Waiting it out - “As President Obama heads to Asia, strategic patience in Washington is stirring strategic impatience in Pyongyang,” writes Leon Sigal in The National Interest. “For over a year North Korea has waited for the United States to resume negotiations—but it will wait no longer. It has restarted its reactor to generate more plutonium, is close to completing a new reactor, and is expanding its uranium enrichment. It has test launched two medium-range missiles and has displayed new, untested longer-range missiles starting in 2010. Worst of all, indications are that it will very soon conduct a nuclear test that breaks with the past, both militarily and politically… The North Korean strategy of forcing others to improve relations has now reached a dead end. So has U.S. strategic patience. With little prospect for a negotiated way out, the security of all of Northeast Asia is in peril.” Read the full piece here. http://bit.ly/1iQJX1m

Quick-hits:

--“Russia Gripes at U.S. Delay in Approving Spy Plane for Overflights” in Global Security Newswire. http://bit.ly/1jGj3pN

--“Iran asks U.N. to act on U.S. ban on new ambassador” by Michelle Nichols for Reuters. http://reut.rs/1f7eauh

Events:

--“Preparing for Deep Cuts: Options for Enhancing Euro-Atlantic and International Security.” Discussion with Ulrich Kuehn, Götz Neuneck, Eugene Miasnikov, and Greg Thielmann; moderated by Steven Pifer. April 28 from 10:00-11:30 at The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1hOGcd1

--“The United States and Iran: Can Diplomacy Prevent an Iranian Bomb?” Discussion with former Amb. Thomas Pickering and Shaul Bakhash. April 28 from 6:00-7:15 at American University, Abramson Family Founders Room, 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington. RSVP here. http://conta.cc/1eEMAyC