The family of the late Col. William Erlenbusch has presented Gen. Lance Lord, commander of Air Force Space Command, with a unique gift—the very first Air Force guided missile insignia, now known as a missile badge. In 1958, Erlenbusch commanded the 864th Strategic Missile Squadron in Huntsville, Ala., where he received the badge, which now will become part of AFSPC’s permanent historical collection. The badge will be displayed alongside the first prototype space operations badge presented to Gen. Bernard Schriever on June 20, 2005, shortly before his death, Lord said.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.