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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 19 June 2018

Trump announces plans for Pentagon to create 'Space Force'

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, KEN independent space force
THOMAS and MARCIA was mentioned by Trump
DUNN in a March speech to ser-
Associated Press vice members in California,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- but it has faced opposition
dent Donald Trump an- since it could create an ex-
nounced Monday he is pensive new headquarters
directing the Pentagon bureaucracy and trigger
to create a new "Space complex and divisive bat-
Force" as an independent tles between the agencies
military service branch that currently control part
aimed at ensuring Ameri- of the space mission. So
can supremacy in space far, the Pentagon doesn't
— though he may have have any cost estimates for
limited power to develop a the development of a new
new military command. command, or any descrip-
While Trump has previously tion of how it would be set
talked about his desire for up or its impact on other
a space unit, he seemed defense and intelligence
to take those musings one agencies.
step further, specifically or- Ever since the Space Age
dering the Pentagon to be- started with the Soviet
gin the creation of a sixth President Donald Trump shows off a "Space Policy Directive" after signing it during a meeting Union's launch of Sputnik,
of the National Space Council in the East Room of the White House, Monday, June 18, 2018, in
branch of the American Washington. there has been a mili-
armed forces. Associated Press tary and national secu-
"When it comes to de- rity aspect to space, even
fending America, it is not provide the authority and service citing the expense the Pentagon's space sys- though there are trea-
enough to merely have any funding or shifting of and broader effort to inte- tems, while also overseeing ties and a United Nations
an American presence money to a new unit. grate warfighting. satellite and other aircraft committee that explicitly
in space. We must have Pentagon spokeswoman The Defense Department is launches. talk about keeping space
American dominance in Dana White said that the already in the middle of a In addition, a number of a place of peace. In the
space," Trump said during department understands congressionally-mandated federal defense agen- 1950s, President Dwight
remarks at the White House. the president's guidance, review of the space force cies control portions of the Eisenhower established two
"We are going to have the and is working on the mat- issue. The study began in space program, including separate space programs
Air Force and we are going ter while taking into consid- March, with an interim re- NASA and the National — a civilian one that be-
to have the Space Force, eration the implications for view due in August and a Reconnaissance Office, came NASA, and a military
separate but equal." intelligence operations for final report due December which develops and oper- one.
Turning to seek out Ma- the other services. "Working 31. It's not clear if the presi- ates surveillance space- Trump more broadly envi-
rine Gen. Joseph Dunford, with Congress, this will be dent's comments Monday craft and satellites for intel- sioned a bright future for
chairman of the Joint Chiefs a deliberate process with were meant to override or ligence gathering. the U.S. space program,
of Staff, Trump said, "Gen- a great deal of input from influence that study. In a March document pledging to revive the
eral Dunford, if you would multiple stakeholders," she Decades ago, the military outlining the review, the country's flagging efforts,
carry that assignment out, I said. deemed space a critical Pentagon said it has al- return to the moon and
would be very greatly hon- A senior congressional aide war-fighting domain, cre- ready made organiza- eventually send a human
ored also ...Where's Gener- said that Trump's order is ating the Colorado-based tional changes to beef up mission that would reach
al Dunford? General? Got consistent with efforts by Air Force Space Com- the stature of the space Mars. The president framed
it?" members of Congress over mand in 1982. It includes force, but is reviewing oth- space as a national secu-
Dunford appeared to ac- the past two years to find a more than 36,000 person- ers. The document sent to rity issue, saying he does
knowledge the order, re- way to dedicate additional nel around the world that Congress said the review not want "China and Rus-
sponding, "we got it." But resources to the country's provide space and cyber will look at research, capa- sia and other countries
the directive seemed to warfighting in space. But capabilities for the De- bilities, acquisition and joint leading us." While the U.S.
take defense officials by the issue has been contest- fense Department. And the warfighting needs, and will has dominated in space
surprise. Creating a new ed, and even Defense Sec- Space and Missile Systems assess "whether the Space since the 1969 moon land-
joint military command is retary Jim Mattis expressed Center at Los Angeles Air Corps concept should be ing, China is making strong
largely the purview of Con- some early reluctance to Force Base in California, implemented." headway, while Russia is in
gress, which would have to creating a new military designs and buys most of The establishment of an decline.q