WASHINGTON: The Air Force’s new short-list for Space Command headquarters puts Peterson AFB in Colorado and Redstone Army Airfield in Alabama back in the highly political race — the two front-runners from the previous contest cut short this spring.
The newcomers to the contest are: Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; Offutt AFB, Nebraska; Patrick AFB, Florida; and Port San Antonio, Texas.
Peterson, in Colorado Springs, currently serves as the “transitional” HQ for Space Command. Redstone, in Huntsville, is the home to Army Space and Missile Defense Command. Both were shortlisted in the original contest, which was halted in March. At the time, Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett told lawmakers a new contest was warranted in part because of the stand up of Space Force. But the move was widely believed to have been spurred by political pressure to widen the search. The original list included four bases in Colorado, raising eyebrows among some lawmakers whose states were left out. The contest was relaunched in May.
As Breaking D readers will recall, Redstone back in August 2019 was rumored to have won the contest on technical points — based on the generic and specific criteria included in the Air Force’s 76-page form for making basing decisions. Generic criteria include things like adequate access to affordable housing, and availability of schools and hospitals. Specific requirements revolve around issues like the availability of specialized structures. Availability of training facilities often is another key factor. A point in Redstone’s favor this time around — the current head of SPACECOM, Gen. James Dickinson, is an Army man.
Peterson, however, has long been considered the favorite of the military space cadre, with the preponderance of personnel stationed there. Peterson was the home of former Air Force Space Command, and AFSPC folks pretty much make up the current Space Force work force. (Indeed, the joke long has been that Colorado Springs would win simply because so many Air Force brass own homes there.)
Among the newcomers, Offut AFB in Omaha might have the biggest leg up, given that it is the home of Strategic Command (STRATCOM). Prior to the August 2019 stand-up of SPACECOM, STRATCOM was responsible for US military space operations. Further, sources say, there is lots and lots of high-quality office space going empty at the base right now.
Patrick AFB is the home of the 45th Space Wing, and the site of the Eastern Launch Range including Cape Canaveral station — one of two US military launch sites. Kirtland AFB is the home of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office and numerous high-tech testing facilities. Port San Antonio — the location of the former Kelly AFB and Kelly Field — is now home to the 24th Air Force, which specializes in cyber operations.
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