“Congress can hold politicals accountable — not so much with the uniformed officers,” one former DoD official said.
By Theresa HitchensA new approach to speed, scale and efficiency for the industrial base
Radars, EW, EO/IR, space imagery, and microelectronics are brought under one roof for a streamlined approach to common people and factories.
The question about who ultimately will be in charge of making decisions about what the Space Force buys will now fall to the incoming Air Force secretary, DoD Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Biden White House.
By Theresa Hitchens
The Air Force intends to get rid of three of its four BACN-equipped EQ-4 Global Hawks, but increase the number of piloted E-11 BACN aircraft through 2026.
By Theresa Hitchens
SDA Director Derek Tournear, and his boss Mike Griffin, want to delay SDA’s integration with Space Force until after 2023.
By Theresa Hitchens
“The Guard and Reserves have existing space capabilities and talents that fit within the mission of the Space Force,” says Rep. Ken Calvert, ranking member on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
By Theresa Hitchens
“There are some places that will have some interesting dialogue,” says Shawn Barnes, the Air Force’s point person on working out future space acquisition authorities under the Space Force.
By Theresa Hitchens
A major overhaul is coming in software for missile warning
Space Systems Command’s FORGE program is the first, major missile-warning software modernization effort in 20 years.
“The next one we’re doing is big. It’s big,” Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein said. It will span bases from Eglin AFB to Nellis AFB; Yuma Proving Ground to White Sands Missile Range. All the joint chiefs plan to be there.
By Theresa Hitchens
The report to Congress will not include “the full and total and complete bounds of the last dotted i and crossed t of every specific aspect” of how the Air Force will manage space acquisition, Thompson said.
By Theresa Hitchens
The first priority of the Space Force has to be addressing acquisition holes, including architectural planning and integration, enterprise systems engineering, and programmatic discipline.
By John Stopher
The jump in R&D funding reflects SDA’s ambitious plans to launch “dozens” of satellites by 2022 to create a skeleton architecture in Low Earth Orbit to provide communications between satellites and ships, aircraft and ground-based weapon systems; track advanced missile threats including low-flying hypersonic cruise missiles; and to support targeting of adversary mobile ground systems.
By Theresa Hitchens PENTAGON: Frustrated with the slow pace of decision-making on the issue, National Guard leaders in states with space units are openly advocating in Congress for the creation of a Space Force National Guard. “As the adjutants general, we are individually approaching our congressional delegations,” Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, adjutant general of California, told reporters at…
By Theresa Hitchens
Bottom line: the Space Force will in essence be a renamed Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) unless and until Congress moves to allow personnel from the other services to be re-assigned. Indeed, the bill limits spending on the Space Force in 2020 to the $72.4 million requested by the Pentagon for the standup.
By Theresa Hitchens
The Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System is growing from an alternative to JSTARS to a multi-domain mega-network to connect all four services in future wars. Is this a revolution or overreach?
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
The House Buy American provisions will destroy U.S. jobs when these countries buy from other countries. And Congress would be ripping up and overriding signed agreements with our closest allies that have served as the foundations of reciprocity in defense trade and cooperation within NATO and with other partners such as Australia and Israel for over 40 years. Our allies are our greatest advantage and this will undermine NATO and our commitment to other global allies.
By Bill Greenwalt