The Senate voted 84-10 on Sept. 30 to pass a stopgap spending measure that would keep the federal government open through Dec. 11, pending President Donald J. Trump’s likely approval. Congress opted not to finish the appropriations process before fiscal 2021 begins Oct. 1, so federal agencies are restricted to the same amount of money they received in 2020 and cannot start any new spending programs. Air Force Magazine reported Sept. 24 that a three-month continuing resolution would stymie the Space Force’s growth as a separate military branch, push back production of the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node jet, and delay Space Force construction projects.

Bipartisan lawmakers on Sept. 30 blasted the Pentagon for failing to provide details of its planned force structure changes in Europe, saying the proposed removal of almost 12,000 troops from Germany could harm U.S. alliances. Under the proposal, first announced in July, DOD would shift F-16s from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to Italy, move U.S. Africa Command headquarters out of Germany to an undetermined location, keep two USAF wings in England, and return thousands of troops to the United States at a time when Congressmen agreed deterrence against Russia is important. Committee ranking member Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) said “a couple staffers in the White House decided they wanted to sell the Ppresident on an absolute troop cap for Germany” without understanding the consequences, and then Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and DOD planners are “trying to put lipstick on the pig,” and “my concern is the underlying strength and unity of the [NATO] alliance has not been a foremost consideration.” Pentagon leaders said the bulk of the details are still being determined, but assured the committee any changes would serve the interests of the National Defense Strategy.

U.S. Strategic Command is testing out parts of its future nuclear command, control, and communications enterprise in the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System demonstrations, an official tells Air Force Magazine. STRATCOM’s NC3 Enterprise Center got up and running early last year to better plan for future satellites, radios, aircraft, and other systems that connect nuclear platforms and weapons to the military and national leaders. It is working on a wholesale overhaul of the aging NC3 network as the Pentagon buys a new nuclear arsenal, hoping to modernize it for the digital age.

The Department of Air Force on Sept. 15 approved more tweaks to the dress and appearance rules for Airmen and space professionals in an effort to boost inclusion in both services, according to a Sept. 29 release. The changes include higher hair bulk standards for service members of both sexes and letting male troops get a little more creative with their haircuts. The update to Air Force Instruction 36-2903, “Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel,” also clarified that USAF and Space Force personnel may dye their hair in “natural colors”—including “brown, blonde, brunette, natural red, black, or grey”—regardless of what color hair they were born with, the release said.

An MQ-9 on Sept. 10 doubled its missile capacity, carrying eight AGM-114 Hellfires for the first time, thanks to a new software upgrade. The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron flew the Reaper at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., demonstrating the new capability, which is part of the MQ-9 Operational Flight Program 2409—an upgrade that will be fielded by the end of the calendar year, according to a 53rd Wing release. With the new capability, the Reaper can carry two missiles each across four stations, and it is also compatible with 500-pound bombs or fuel tanks. New requirements from Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operations Command drove development of the new capability.

On March 23, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a virtual Nuclear Deterrence Series event featuring Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller. At a time when nuclear modernization programs are accelerating around the world, proposals to recapitalize the U.S. nuclear arsenal are at the forefront of debates over defense spending. Miller will share his insights into the prospects for U.S. nuclear modernization programs and the value of nuclear deterrence in today's competitive security environment. The think tank will post event video on its website and YouTube page after the live event.