The U.S. Air Force is buying five planes to replace the E-4B Nightwatch nuclear command post. In addition to being the Secretary of Defense’s plane, the Nightwatch is outfitted to allow the Secretary to survive and give orders in a nuclear war.

House lawmakers in recent weeks have taken an ax to the Air Force’s controversial proposal to move Air National Guard units with space missions into the Space Force.

In the current milieu of U.S. defense policy, a significant point of contention has arisen surrounding the Air Force’s proposal to transfer certain Air National Guard units to the newly established Space Force.

Air Force reservists in space-related career fields can transfer and become Guardians under the Space Force Personnel Management Act, which became law in late 2023.