The Air Force has decided to move Maj. Gen. William Holland from his No. 2 slot at 9th Air Force/Air Forces Central to lead the now temporarily separate 9th Air Force. In May, USAF announced plans to temporarily split 9th AF from AFCENT, sending a few folks forward to establish an AFCENT headquarters closer to the action and removed from the day-to-day management chores of running a number air force. Lt. Gen. Gary North, who has led 9th AF/AFCENT since February 2006, has been nominated now to lead Pacific Air Forces. The Senate has confirmed Maj. Gen. Gilmary Hostage III for a third star and to replace North as AFCENT commander.
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.