The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Navy Vice Adm. Charles Richard to become the next commander of U.S. Strategic Command.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) secured consent for confirmation en bloc of all nominations to the armed forces, including Charles.
Charles currently serves as Navy commander for Submarine Forces, Submarine Force Atlantic, and Allied Submarine Command. He replaces Air Force Gen. John Hyten, who was confirmed in September but has not yet been sworn in as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
U.S. Strategic Command conducts strategic deterrence, global strike, and other missions, which includes operation of deployed nuclear weapons. The head of STRATCOM serves on the Nuclear Weapons Council, a joint DOE-Pentagon body that sets nuclear-weapon acquisition strategy.
STRATCOM also announced Thursday it had finished Global Thunder 20, a two-week exercise that included a Bomber Task Force mission in Europe. B-2 Spirit and B-52H Stratofortress aircraft launched from America, connected with deployed B-52Hs at RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, and integrated with key allied fighter aircraft over the skies of Europe, before returning to their home stations. During the mission, the U.S. and allies including Poland and the United Kingdom tested areas of mutual concern and fortified military collaboration.
