OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. — U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) commenced Exercise Global Lightning 2020 today, an annual command post and battle staff exercise designed to train Department of Defense forces and assess joint operational readiness across all of USSTRATCOM's mission areas.
The exercise provides training opportunities for USSTRATCOM headquarters staff and components participating in this exercise to integrate and synchronize efforts across several combatant commands. Global Lightning 20 is part of the Joint Staffs Globally-Integrated Exercise 20-2, U.S. Cyber Command's Exercise Cyber Lightning 2020, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command's Exercise Vigilant Shield 2020, U.S. Transportation Command's Exercise Turbo Challenge and a U.S. Space Command exercise.
Global Lightning also involves allied personnel from a variety of nations, including permanently assigned foreign liaison officers to USSTRATCOM from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Allied personnel integrate into senior leadership teams and work across a broad spectrum of areas, offering legal, public affairs and policy support, as well as operational insight.
USSTRATCOM has global responsibilities assigned through the Unified Command Plan that include strategic deterrence, nuclear operations, joint electromagnetic spectrum operations, global strike, missile defense, and analysis and targeting.