Nicolas Chaillan, who served as the first chief software officer for both the Air Force and Space Force, said China and Russia are ahead of the U.S. in the “most critical war-fighting capabilities that will make it or break it in the next wars to come.” At the same time, he said the U.S. has failed to grasp the urgency of recognizing space as a “critical domain.”
“Russia is clearly seeing the importance of space, and its ability of striking down satellites could be devastating and have cascading effects for the U.S. government, American people, and allies of the U.S.,” he said.
What is even more alarming to Chaillan is the fact that China has conducted over 200 hypersonic tests while the U.S. has carried out a mere nine and isn’t close to testing anything approaching a fully functioning missile.
“What’s lacking is urgency and realizing that this is even bigger than we thought,” he said. “The next wave of innovation is going to touch the Air Force and Space Force.”
Brandon Weichert, space expert and author of “Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower,” said these most recent space incidents should have served as a wake-up call to the threats that U.S. adversaries pose in space.
He believes that Space Force is the “best way” to compete in the new “space race” playing out in the skies.
But he said the branch isn’t living up to its expectations because its current leadership — and the politics of the Biden administration — are not allowing the department to act boldly enough.
Weichert points out that Space Force is following the advice of consultants who are committed to the de-weaponization of space, and people who believe space “should be a sanctuary from weapons” and don’t believe that space is for anything other than “taking pretty pictures of stars.”
“They don’t believe in using space as a strategic asset,” he said. “There is no strategic vision for dominating space.”
Instead of going big and making the investments necessary to compete with China and Russia, Weichert said the branch has quickly become a bureaucracy that does “everything but actual space dominance.”
“Space Force doesn’t want to do space,” he said.
Comment: Trekkies. pl
https://www.newsmax.com/platinum/space-force-china-russia-biden/2021/12/03/id/1047193/
Space Force is not the warfighter. I think they’re still noodling out who they are and who they will be. It is US Space Command that does that. Space Force, along with the other services, will be providing forces to SPACECOM. SPACECOM’s mission includes deterring aggression, defeating our nation’s enemies through posture and preparedness, delivering space combat power and defending US, allied and partner interests. They only declared initial operational capability at the end of August. While SPACECOM will be working with all other combatant commands, I think they will be joined at the hip to STRATCOM.
TTG
None of the armed forces are “war fighters” in that sense. They are all force generators. The joint combatant commands are the war fighters. What is your point? You don’t think the Army, etc. as institutions are important in term of doctrine, training and action in the JCS arena?
pl,
After 200+ years, the services have been and still are important in the development of doctrine, training and actions. The now developing MDO concept came from the Army rather than any combatant command. Give Space Force some time and they’ll do the same. Right now, I think looking at SPACECOM will give a better idea of what DoD is doing in space than looking at the still organizing Space Force.
It appears the the military brass are sounding alarms about the capabilities of the Russian and Chinese military. Is this about more budget? Not that they don’t already have a massive one that gets largely spent on boondoggles. Or is there genuine alarm about hypersonic missiles, growing PLA naval fleet, etc?
I Read that the SDA…Space Development Agency has been Transferred from the Defense Dept…to to Space Force..Also..alot of Restructuring of SSC..by Lt. General Michael Guetlein..SSC Developes and Procures Sattelites and Buys Space Launch Services…which has alot of Competition and Operators..Virgin Orbit has a Very unique
Delivery Capability and Has made National Security a Priority ..Many new Crew and Cargo Carrier Systems being developed..Like the Space Shuttle type Craft..Dream Chaser…Developed by Sierra Nevada..Corp..There are Hugh Pools of Developer/Operator Resources in the Space Industry to Choose from..Space Command Needs to Know its Competition..Thier Capabilitys..and Beat It..The Resources are here…