Airmen at Minot AFB, N.D., celebrated Aug. 19 the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first B-52H Stratofortress at the base. In honor of BUFF’s half century of service, a B-52 named the “Peace Persuader,” was painted with nostalgic nose art. The Minot Air Force Base Color Guard presented the colors during the ceremony and 1st Lt. Daniel Welche, 23rd Bomb Squadron copilot and a third-generation B-52 crew member, was the keynote speaker during the event. (Minot release)
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.