Space Force: The Sixth Branch

[PNW Flyer]

US space is a bit of a hot mess right now and it needs some fixing but I don't think a separate service is the solution, at least yet. Just to start the DoD controls only some of the US government's space assets and that is before you get into commercial US space assets. So no, the comparison to the USAAF to USAF is not even close. And then you get into the whole what they would control and do, are they are force provider or would they have some combatant command-like responsibilities WRT to space assets?

It makes far more sense to me to create a new unified command like CYBERCOM, you could even use SOCOM's model of having their own budget authority. But a separate service? Nope.

The comparison between USAAF and USAF is both close and apt. We had commercial air assets, we had non-DOD gov air assets, all that existed at the time.

No question you put forth is insurmountable or unanswerable. Honestly this is probably less of a bureaucratic nightmare than a lot of changes DOD has gone through in the last 50 years. And it actually makes sense to collectivize orbital assets in a lot of ways.

Just to be clear, I'm not a proponent or detractor of thr idea of SPACE FORCE, just pointing out your post was very poorly argued and reasoned.

 

[PNW Flyer]

The AAF was already effectively operating as a separate service by the end of the Big War, so the establishment of the USAF just formalized what already existed. That’s not the case with this putative “Space Force”. Like @Flash said, DoD Space efforts badly need reorganization, but this doesn’t solve the problems. And in any case, there’s less than zero appetite for it among the JCS. Even elevating it to a joint component command along the lines of TRANSCOM was DOA.

Interesting that you're quick to judge that it doesn't solve any of the problems we "badly need" solved before we have, ohhhh any information about this putative new service.

 

[Flash]

The comparison between USAAF and USAF is both close and apt. We had commercial air assets, we had non-DOD gov air assets, all that existed at the time....Just to be clear, I'm not a proponent or detractor of thr idea of SPACE FORCE, just pointing out your post was very poorly argued and reasoned.

Not really. Pam Am didn't control the Air Transport Command and PACFLT positioning wasn't controlled by the Maritime Administration, that is the (very) rough equivalent of how things are today WRT to space.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Interesting that you're quick to judge that it doesn't solve any of the problems we "badly need" solved before we have, ohhhh any information about this putative new service.

Interesting that you’re quick to judge that it would.

 

[PNW Flyer]

Not really. Pam Am didn't control the Air Transport Command and PACFLT positioning wasn't controlled by the Maritime Administration, that is the (very) rough equivalent of how things are today WRT to space.

Interesting that you’re quick to judge that it would.

Nah, never said it would.

There is basically zero real info out except for this blurb: “As space becomes increasingly contested, the demand for the Department of Defense to focus on protecting U.S. space assets and interests also increases. At the same time, the rapid commercialization of space requires a traffic management framework that protects U.S. interests and considers the private sector’s needs,” the directive reads.

Interesting though, that you're so quick to assume I said that.

 

[Hair Warrior]

We only need one branch, but they can wear different color shirts on away missions.

 

[dodge]

There’s the inconvenient matter of Congress needing to amend Title 10, US Code before this can go anywhere. Sure, the President can tell the Pentagon to do studies and get ready, but the structure of DoD is controlled by the legislature, not the executive.

Methinks this is more political than anything...a laser pointer to move the press on to something else. Also, POTUS is not about doing anything subtle or incremental. It's showmanship.

Not to mention, until we manage to fix our budget, paying for a supposed 6th branch when the other 5 don't have enough money (or are tasked with too much given the budget they have) is a terrible idea. Not to mention a merchant fleet that is neglected yet critical for actual sustained combat/national defense. So, I take this all with a grain of salt. More likely this will languish in bureaucratic/legislative purgatory for the remainder of this term, and/or his next.

However, if you're playing the long con, eventually some type of space force will emerge and now the blue print gets DJT's initials.

 

[PNW Flyer]

Methinks this is more political than anything...a laser pointer to move the press on to something else. Also, POTUS is not about doing anything subtle or incremental. It's showmanship.

Not to mention, until we manage to fix our budget, paying for a supposed 6th branch when the other 5 don't have enough money (or are tasked with too much given the budget they have) is a terrible idea. Not to mention a merchant fleet that is neglected yet critical for actual sustained combat/national defense. So, I take this all with a grain of salt. More likely this will languish in bureaucratic/legislative purgatory for the remainder of this term, and/or his next.

However, if you're playing the long con, eventually some type of space force will emerge and now the blue print gets DJT's initials.

Holy shit, brother. In what fucking bizarro universe is $700 BILLION dollars "not enough." Not enough for what? Invading China? We have enough cash to build an aircraft carrier out of $100 bills. We could fund three Apollo programs from inception to moon landings.

It's also worth noting what that huge budget hs gotten us: defeat, stalemate, and retreat in southeast, central, and southwest Asia, destabilization of Central and South America, loss of influence in every major maritime AOR, oh, and a boatload of dead American kids.

Virtually any other use of that money (short of burning it) has got to be better than what we've got.

At least in space there aren't any backwater Mujahideen or commie guerrillas to make us take it in the shorts on the international stage.

 

[Judge Q]

On the 0.42% chance this does get off the ground, designing a new dress uniform shouldn't be an issue though since the Space Force could probably just use that redesign the AF tried to roll out a couple years ago and everyone made fun of.

 

[dodge]

Holy shit, brother. In what fucking bizarro universe is $700 BILLION dollars "not enough." Not enough for what? Invading China? We have enough cash to build an aircraft carrier out of $100 bills. We could fund three Apollo programs from inception to moon landings.

Money is not the issue.

I never said we spent it well. But if you're asking a large, inefficient federal organization (DoD) to do X, it's gonna cost Y. Y is currently $700B.

We can get better a spending money (unlikely) or we can quit funding so many people, things, and operations (also unlikely).

 

[Jim123]

We only need one branch, but they can wear different color shirts on away missions.

In other news, the Navy just announced Type IV digital camouflage will be bright red.

 

[Hotdogs]

Holy shit, brother. In what fucking bizarro universe is $700 BILLION dollars "not enough." Not enough for what? Invading China? We have enough cash to build an aircraft carrier out of $100 bills. We could fund three Apollo programs from inception to moon landings.

Not a bean-counter by trade and I’m sure some nerd who has worked in the Pentagon can provide details....but comparing dollar for
dollar defense budgets isn’t exactly apples and oranges. Lots more money spent on peronnel and welfare for a variety of reasons in the US than in Russia and China. Atleast when it comes to the budgets we know about. This has been pointed out numerous times by prominent officials in public.

Lastly...for fuck sake... 2 pages so far and no one has brought up Space Marines?

 

[AIRMMCPORET]

What are my chances of getting X-Wings?

42%

 

[FlyingOnFumes]

 

[Homer J]

Does service guarantee citizenship?

Yes, yes it does.