The ongoing tiff over the rent at Kyrgyzstan’s Manas Air Base between US officials and Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev took a turn in America’s favor, after recent meetings. According to the London Financial Times, Bakiyev has agreed to reduce his demand. Previously threatening to increase the yearly payments from $2.7 million to $200 million, a government source tells the newspaper that Kyrgyz officials have given the impression that they would be willing to accept as little as $15 million if the rent was teamed with an aid and investment package. Manas serves as a key way station for coalition operations in Afghanistan. More negotiations seem to be coming.
The Space Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request includes about $2.5 billion for commercial services like satellite communications and off-the-shelf capabilities, but officials say commercial components and technology are embedded throughout programs, making the true allocation much higher.