Redstone Arsenal

Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama

WASHINGTON: Colorado politicians are crying foul over the Trump Administration’s choice of Huntsville, Ala. to be the permanent home of Space Command — despite the fact that, as Breaking D readers alone knew, Redstone Arsenal reportedly won the contest in the first round of Air Force reviews in 2019.

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, in a televised press conference earlier today, charged that Trump overturned the Air Force’s choice of Peterson AFB “for political reasons” — citing “Air Force sources.” He said the city will FOIA the Air Force’s internal decision documents and called on President-elect Joe Biden to overturn — or at least put on hold — the decision.

Rep. Doug Lamborn blasted the decision in a letter to Biden today. “Our national security space enterprise will be materially degraded if the arbitrary decision to relocate U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) from its home in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama is allowed to proceed,” the letter stated. “I call on you to use your authority immediately upon taking office as our nations commander-in-chief to reverse this foolish and hastily made decision.”

Both Peterson and Redstone were on the short list the Air Force announced in November, following a do-over of the basing decision review announced by Secretary Barbara Barrett. That second review was trigged by protests from the Florida congressional delegation that no locations in their state had been short-listed. The November list included Patrick AFB, as well as Kirtland AFB; Offutt AFB; and Port San Antonio, Texas.

Alabama politicians, unsurprisingly, are ecstatic.

“This is outstanding news, not only for our state but also for the Air Force,” said Republican Sen. Richard Shelby. “This long-awaited decision by the Air Force is a true testament to all that Alabama has to offer. Huntsville is the right pick for a host of reasons – our skilled workforce, proximity to supporting space entities, cost-effectiveness, and quality of life, among other things.”

Several experts said the decision shouldn’t be that big of a surprise, given that Huntsville had been poised to win the first contest — in part due to a much lower cost of living, as well as plenty of available office and housing space. “Huntsville compared favorably across more of these factors than any other community, providing a large, qualified workforce, quality schools, superior infrastructure capacity, and low initial and recurring costs. Additionally, Redstone Arsenal offered a facility to support the headquarters, at no cost, while the permanent facility is being constructed,” said the Air Force’s announcement today.

“How many times are you going to do it, and end up with the same answer, and then go seek another answer without basically losing your credibility?” said one insider.

Other experts agreed with the concerns expressed by Colorado officials, noting that Alabama voted for Trump in the presidential election, whereas Colorado voted for Biden.

All that aside, the choice has advantages and disadvantages, observers say.

“One of the disadvantages is, what to do with the civilians who were doing this job at Offutt, many of whom have been in limbo this whole time and remain at Offutt. Will they be moved to Huntsville, or will there be yet another brain drain as they are forced to find jobs elsewhere?” said Secure World Foundation’s (SWF) Brian Weeden.

“Another is that nearly all of the command and control infrastructure for existing military satellites is in Colorado at Buckley and Peterson-Schreiver Garrisons. The money isn’t there to redo all that architecture, so they will have to figure out a way to bent pipe it to Huntsville,” he said.

Among the advantages, say a number of other experts, is that SPACECOM will be closer to the Army, which is the largest user of space in the US military. Huntsville has been the home of Army space since World War II, as the base for famous rocketeer Wernher Von Braun and Army Space and Missile Defense Command is HQ’d there.

In any event, the move won’t actually take place for another six years, noted SWF’s Washington Office Director Victoria Samson. “A LOT can change, including, oh, I don’t know, a presidential administration that can shift its priorities,” she said.

Indeed, the Air Force has caveated that a final decision won’t be made until an environmental impact statement is completed in 2023.