The Space Force Will Become the Sixth Branch of the U.S. Military

[Kontinuum]

It’s really happening. A bipartisan budget agreement for 2020 will see the creation of a new branch of the military specifically oriented towards space. The United States Space Force will be the first new service branch in more than 60 years, tasked to ensure America’s freedom to operate in outer space—or take space away from somebody else.

According to a draft of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Agreement, also known as the 2020 U.S. defense budget, the Pentagon will redesignate the U.S. Air Force’s Space Command the U.S. Space Force, spinning it off from an arm of the Air Force into a separate service.

The service will be headed by a Chief of Space Operations, similar to how the U.S. Navy is headed by a Chief of Naval Operations and consist of “the space forces and such assets as may be organic therein.” That’s pretty ambiguous language but probably means most of the Air Force’s space assets, from satellite launching facilities like Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to spacecraft ground control bases like Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado. It'll also include america’s network of GPS satellites, the X-37B spaceplane, and other military space assets. The Space Force will also likely strip away a smaller number of assets and personnel from the U.S. Army and Navy.

The budget agreement says the Space Force will be “organized, trained, and equipped to provide— (1) freedom of operation for the United States in, from, and to space; and (2) prompt and sustained space operations.” The Chief of Space Operations will report to the Secretary of the Air Force, much the way the Commandant of the Marine Corps reports to the Secretary of the Navy.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...orce-official/
Now we need Space Marines!

[Puupi]

I wonder what the boot camp will be like!

[Daedius]

Space Force sounds so campy.

[Yadryonych]

https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...orce-official/
Now we need Space Marines!

More like Space Rangers

[Queen of Hamsters]

What a wonderful way of wasting money on anything but the bottom half of Americans that could really use them.

[Puupi]

I mean, France is also launching its own Space Force program, so not sure why it became a “make fun of America” thing.

https://www.space.com/france-military-space-force.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...nd/1723998001/

Russia has had Space Forces since 1992.

[Dhrizzle]

It's being made from existing air force space assets and its chief will report to the secretary of the air force - how much of this is "new" and how much is being called new to please the toddler-in-chief?

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I mean, France is also launching its own Space Force program, so not sure why it became a “make fun of America” thing.

https://www.space.com/france-military-space-force.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...nd/1723998001/

France is upgrading parts of their air force.

[Egomaniac]

What a wonderful way of wasting money on anything but the bottom half of Americans that could really use them.

Really doesn't seem to be that much extra money being wasted...they're just taking an already existing part of the Air Force and breaking it off into a "Space Force" to placate the Commander-in-Cheetos. The defense budget will likely be pretty much the same as it was before.

[Dhrizzle]

From my understanding, the US version will be organized under the Air Force, using existing personnel.

Yeah, but it's being branded as a new branch of the military.

[Egomaniac]

From my understanding, the US version will be organized under the Air Force, using existing personnel.

No, it already was part of the Air Force...now it's being split off into it's own thing. It's all right there in the article:

the Pentagon will redesignate the U.S. Air Force’s Space Command the U.S. Space Force, spinning it off from an arm of the Air Force into a separate service.

[Puupi]

It's being made from existing air force space assets and its chief will report to the secretary of the air force - how much of this is "new" and how much is being called new to please the toddler-in-chief?

Well it's the exact same treatment they did to the Air Force after WW2. From Army Air Force to Air Force as its own branch.

[Dhrizzle]

Well this is a big step towards Kessler syndrome where a collision cascade in low Earth orbit eliminates all our satellites and prevents us sending tech off-planet for a while.

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Idk about the branding thing but here’s the latest updates on it:

https://www.military.com/daily-news/...-be-built.html

Yup says there it will be a 6th branch of the military but made from bits of the air force and answering to their top guy. I expect @Skroe will be along shortly to give a more in depth analysis.

[unbound]

Space Force sounds so campy.

Yeah, this is the real problem. In reality, we do need to develop space defenses, and a new group makes sense. But "Space Force" sounds like a direct to DVD 80s flick.

Just change the name to something that won't be actively mocked, and it would be all good.

[Calfredd]

I feel it would help matters if we actually had a presence in space that was more significant than our own little corner on a space station before talking about a "space force".

More like Space Rangers

Also I was expecting a picture of Buzz Lightyear or something when you said that.

[Puupi]

Yeah, this is the real problem. In reality, we do need to develop space defenses, and a new group makes sense. But "Space Force" sounds like a direct to DVD 80s flick.

Just change the name to something that won't be actively mocked, and it would be all good.

There's nothing wrong with Space Force, it's the valid name for it.

However if they start calling their servicemen as spacemen.....

[niztheundead87]

i am surprised they didnt name them space marines

[Puupi]

i am surprised they didnt name them space marines

Luckily not, misnomer of the century.

Next up, Space Navy and their Space SEALs.

[Sunseeker]

This was abound to happen, and realistically should happen, and probably should have happened a while back. Sure, it'll probably mean more things to spend military money on, but we're pretty good at that with or without a new branch.

USSF is probably...not the best acronym tho. Nor is US SpF. But it is a practical name, no need to dress it up.

[Yadryonych]

Also I was expecting a picture of Buzz Lightyear or something when you said that.

Nah it only deserves picture of cosmic douchebags from GTA

[breadisfunny]

i refuse to let a bunch of hussybucket spacefloozies drive our ships.
draenei should be banned from entering the space force. they'll just crash all the ships anyways.