The Air Force plans, in January, to name a new-build C-17 the Spirit of Ronald Reagan. The aircraft will be dedicated at ceremonies in California. The first person honored with a C-17 dedication was Bob Hope, in recognition of his many years of entertaining troops overseas. USAF has named other C-17s for noteworthy individuals, such as Medal of Honor recipient Air Force Sgt. John L. Levitow, and for bases, cities, states, regions, and even groups, such as the Spirit of America’s Veterans, and concepts, such as Spirit of Freedom. Look here for a list of approved names for active duty C-17s.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
