As the New York Analysis of Policy and Government noted last August, Daniel Coats, the Director of National Intelligence, has warned that “China and Russia will continue to expand their space-based reconnaissance, communications, and navigation systems in terms of the numbers of satellites, the breadth of their capability, and the applications for use. Both Russia and China continue to pursue antisatellite (ASAT) weapons as a means to reduce US and allied military effectiveness. Russia and China aim to have nondestructive and destructive counterspace weapons available for use during a potential future conflict. We assess that, if a future conflict were to occur involving Russia or China, either country would justify attacks against US and allied satellites as necessary to offset any perceived US military advantage derived from military, civil, or commercial space systems.”
Both Moscow and Beijing have not been shy about their ability to attack American assets in space. The challenge is especially acute for the United States which, more than any other nation, is dependent on its orbital infrastructure for defense, commerce, and safety.
In February, The White House officially moved to establish the Space Force as a component of the United States Air Force. The relationship may be similar to that of the United States Marine Corps to the Navy.
According to President Trump’s Space Policy Directive-4:
“Space is integral to our way of life, our national security, and modern warfare. Although United States space systems have historically maintained a technological advantage over those of our potential adversaries, those potential adversaries are now advancing their space capabilities and actively developing ways to deny our use of space in a crisis or conflict. It is imperative that the United States adapt its national security organizations, policies, doctrine, and capabilities to deter aggression and protect our interests. Toward that end, the Department of Defense shall take actions under existing authority to marshal its space resources to deter and counter threats in space, and to develop a legislative proposal to establish a United States Space Force as a sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces within the Department of the Air Force. This is an important step toward a future military department for space. Under this proposal, the United States Space Force would be authorized to organize, train, and equip military space forces of the United States to ensure unfettered access to, and freedom to operate in, space, and to provide vital capabilities to joint and coalition forces in peacetime and across the spectrum of conflict…”
The Secretary of Defense will submit a legislative proposal to the President through the Office of Management and Budget that would establish the United States Space Force as a new armed service within the Department of the Air Force.
In remarks delivered at the unveiling of the Directive, The President noted that America must be fully equipped to defend our vital interests. “Our adversaries are training forces and developing technology to undermine our security in space, and they’re working very hard at that. That’s why my administration has recognized space as a warfighting domain and made the creation of the Space Force a national security priority. I think we’ll have great support from Congress, because they do support something when we’re talking about such importance. And a lot of the generals, a lot of the people involved have been speaking to Congress. And we have some very interesting dialogue going on. We’re investing in new space capabilities to project military power and safeguard our nation’s interests, especially when it comes to safety and defense.”
Vice President Pence, who serves as the head of the National Space Council, emphasized that “this is now the foundation of ensuring that even as we are dominant in space today, now we’ll begin to bring all of our resources together under U.S. Space Command, which will operate under the Department of the Air Force. And in so doing, we’ll ensure that we bring the best resources and the best minds together to protect the American people and advance our interests.”
Department of Defense Fact Sheet on the Space Force
The National Defense Strategy recognizes great power competition as the central challenge to U.S. national security. Space is a vital national interest and critical domain in which this competition will occur.
– The United States faces serious and growing challenges to its freedom to operate in space. China and Russia view counterspace capabilities as a means to reduce U.S. and allied military effectiveness. – Simultaneously, commercial entities are developing and delivering new space technologies and capabilities at a speed never seen before. U.S. interests in space are expanding.
– This new security environment highlights the role of space in the changing character of warfare and presents new challenges and opportunities to the United States military. To maintain our comparative advantage in space, we must adapt to the changing environment.
– No branch of the Armed Forces has been created since the United States Air Force (USAF) was established in 1947 – over 70 years ago. Visual skills visual therapy is designed for all buy levitra online those ladies who feel sensuality is not for them. Since the female perfect female enhancer isn’t available yet, the quest continues to sildenafil cheapest help affected women. Erectile tadalafil cialis india you can check here dysfunction tends to ruin up many relationships. This medicine is prescribed to the men, suffering from erectile dysfunction. viagra 100mg for sale The world has changed significantly in that time. Reforming the organization of our military space enterprise is fundamental to transforming our approach to the space domain. PROPOSAL OVERVIEW – The legislative proposal would establish the U.S. Space Force (USSF) as a sixth branch of the Armed Forces within the Department of the Air Force. The USSF would protect and advance U.S. interests in space.
– If approved by Congress, a dedicated Military Service will unify, focus, and accelerate the development of space doctrine, capabilities, and expertise to outpace future threats; institutionalize advocacy for space priorities; and further build a space warfighting culture.
– The USSF will be responsible for organizing, training, and equipping military space forces to: provide for freedom of operation in, from, and to the space domain; provide independent military operations for joint and national leadership; and enable the lethality and effectiveness of the joint force.
– The USSF will consolidate existing forces and authorities for military space activities, as appropriate, in order to minimize duplication of effort and eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies.
– The proposal will create a civilian Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space, to be known as the Under Secretary for Space, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under Secretary for Space will provide dedicated civilian supervision of the USSF.
– The proposal will create a Chief of Staff of the USSF in the grade of General who will be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and who will serve as the JCS expert on and advocate for space power.
– Where appropriate, the USSF will leverage existing USAF infrastructure, except in performing those functions unique to the space domain or that are central to the independence of the new Military Service.
– The proposal for the Space Force maximizes warfighting capacity while minimizing bureaucracy and cost.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
The Secretary of the Air Force will be responsible for two separate and distinct Military Services: USSF and USAF. STANDUP TIMELINE The standup of the USSF will be phased over five years:
Fiscal Year (FY) 20 to FY24. – The initial elements of the USSF headquarters will be established in FY20 to prepare for mission transfer in FY21 and FY22. Additional build out of the force will occur in FY23 and FY24.
– The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with each Military Department Secretary and Military Service Chief, will determine which existing space forces will transfer into the USSF after its creation.
– The Department has established a full-time team to conduct detailed planning for the Space Force. The task force is led by a 2-star career space officer from the Air Force. ESTIMATED COSTS The FY20 budget requests $72.4M for approximately 200 personnel to stand up the USSF headquarters.
– Starting in
FY21, existing personnel and budget authority will transfer into the USSF from the
existing Military Services until approximately 95% of the USSF budget consists
of existing resources that have been transferred.
– New resources will be dedicated to building out the USSF headquarters and
establishing and maintaining new support elements such as education, training,
doctrine, and personnel management centers.
– Once fully established, the additive costs will be approximately $500M annually, or approximately 0.07% of the annual DoD budget. This estimate will be refined through detailed planning.
– Total additional cost growth over the next five years is estimated to be less than $2B, or 0.05% of the DoD budget for the same period. The Future Years Defense Program topline is sufficient to fully fund the USSF.
– The transfer of future resources will be included in the Department’s FY21 budget proposal, allowing the new USSF leadership to shape resource allocation and funding transfers.