The Sept. 10 launch will kick-start a months-long campaign to deliver 126 data transport and 28 missile warning and tracking satellites to low Earth orbit.
The Russian surveillance and reconnaissance planes stayed in international airspace, but flew close enough to prompt NORAD to launch F-16s to intercept.
New weapons are at the forefront of budget priorities for the Air Force and Space Force, while the spending plans also seek almost $2.3 billion in cuts.