On a cloudy winter day at Gray Army Airfield, a series of high-altitude balloons ascended into the stratosphere.

Col. James Horne told attendees at the annual State of Vandenberg event held Thursday that he believes in the next five to 10 years, launch rates will double or potentially even triple at Vandenberg.

More than 200 airmen training with the U.S. Air Force’s 368th Training Squadron spent Feb. 27 at Fort Leonard Wood learning ...