December 10, 2019

Air Force Statement on U.S. Space Force

Congress green-lit a new Space Force in its joint fiscal 2020 defense policy bill, under a proposal that would elevate Air Force Space Command to become the Pentagon’s sixth military service under the Department of the Air Force.

Congress green-lit a new Space Force in its joint fiscal 2020 defense policy bill, under a proposal that would elevate Air Force Space Command to become the Pentagon’s sixth military service while continuing to sit within the Department of the Air Force.

After months of testy negotiations, lawmakers from both parties and both chambers agreed with the Air Force that the Space Force should become an armed force on its own. The Air Force argued that without that designation, the Space Force would lack the teeth to carry out space operations in a meaningful way. Congress released the conference agreement Dec. 9, more than two months behind schedule.

The Space Force will take over the Air Force’s role of organizing, training, and equipping space operators who fly GPS satellites, track space debris, oversee satellite communications, and more.

“The decision to create a separate and distinct Space Force is welcome news,” said Orville Wright, Air Force Association President. “As our outstanding Airmen continue to develop capabilities and lead space operations, the rapidly growing threats in space drive the national security imperative to preserve the safety of our citizens. Together with our Air Force, the new Space Force will enable our military leaders to organize, train, and equip space forces in support of the nation’s joint warfighting commands, and to deter – and if, necessary, defeat – those who threaten our nation and allies. To effectively win the space fight, our Airmen must have and deserve adequate funding and the resources they need to simultaneously detect, target, fight and win across space, air and cyber domains.”

Read more details as reported from Air Force Magazine here.

Article by Rachel S. Cohen