Space Force and Related DoD Proposals: Issues for Congress

Abstract

Over the past year, Congress saw a variety of overlapping proposals advanced for the reorganization of U.S. military activities in space. Major proposals include the creation of a Space Force (SF), a new branch of the Armed Forces under the Secretary of the Air Force; the reestablishment of a U.S. Space Command as an additional unified combatant command; and the establishment of a Department of Defense Space Development Agency. While few observers dispute the notion that the Department of Defense (DOD) should better organize and manage its space capabilities, agreement ends there. Some believe all three proposals should be adopted; others believe only some, if any, should become permanent institutions within DOD. Taken together, these overlapping proposals could present considerable challenges to DODs functioning in one of the most critically important operational domains. Regardless, the concepts and details of these military space related proposals remain unclearif not contradictoryat this time, prompting fundamental questions about plans to reorganize DODs space programs, capabilities, and agencies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 08, 2019
Accession Number
AD1169605

Entities

People

  • Kathleen J. McInnis
  • Stephen M. Mccall

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • International Security
  • Law
  • Military Operations
  • Military Personnel
  • National Security
  • Observers
  • Personnel Management
  • Procurement
  • Security
  • Space Defense
  • Space Environments
  • Space Force
  • Space Systems
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Public Financial Management and Budgeting
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space