595th Command and Control Group

595th Command and Control Group
Boeing E-4B Airborne Command Post
Active	1970–1993; 2000–2013; 2016–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Command and Control
Part of	Air Force Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQ	Offutt Air Force Base
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Commanders
Current commander	Col. Robert Billings
Insignia
595th Command and Control Group emblem (approved 2016)
595th Space Group emblem (approved 7 September 2007

The 595th Command and Control Group is an active unit of the United States Air Force. It is organized under Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), and its operations are centered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It was activated in a ceremony held on 6 October 2016.

The mission of the 595th Command and Control Group is to consolidate the Air Force's portion of the nuclear triad, including Air Force nuclear command and control communications, under the auspices of Global Strike Command. Previously, portions of the Air Force's command and control of nuclear operations had been divided among AFGSC, Air Combat Command, and the Twentieth Air Force.

The 595th Command and Control Group is composed of four squadrons:

The unit was first organized by Air Force Systems Command in May 1970 as the 6595 Missile Test Group. In early 1970s, the group conducted ground and flight tests of the Minuteman weapon system. It also launched and tested missile, space and aeronautical systems in support of Department of Defense programs.

After the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger in January 1986, the space program was grounded for 34 months until the launch of Space Transportation System-26 in September 1988. After 11 Sep 2001, the group examined vulnerabilities of US space facilities at home and abroad. The Air Force’s Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities Program transferred national capabilities to operational commands. The group's Air Force Space Battlelab developed and field tested capabilities to increase productivity of operational commands. Its Aerospace Fusion Center supported space missile launches.

The group supported Operation Iraqi Freedom through the application of space applications programs during 2003 and 2004.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.