As the U.S. Space Force marks its fifth anniversary today, its top leaders are setting their sights on the future with the establishment of a new Futures Command, a move intended to bolster the service’s analytical capabilities and better justify its programs and spending.
The sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces was established on Dec. 20, 2019 when Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which put on inactive status the Air Force Space Command and transferred space operations to the newly formed Space Force.
Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of Space Operations for the Space Force, announced at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Dec. 17. that the service plans to establish the new Futures Command in early 2025.
The Futures Command was initially slated for early 2024, but the service has pushed establishment of the new force to early 2025. The reasoning behind this decision is unclear.
The Futures Command will be the service’s fourth field command, following the Space Operations Command, Space Systems Command, and Space Training and Readiness Command.
According to Saltzman, the Futures Command will expand on work currently done by the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC), adding new organizations focused on threat analysis and capability planning to determine what forces and systems the Space Force needs to counter emerging challenges.
“The SWAC analysis gave us the data set that we could use in the budget fights. ‘Here’s why we want this, here’s the analytical background that says why we need what we’re asking for.’ I think it proved that if you bring data to the budgeters of the world, they had a harder time arguing with your logic … Futures Command is taking that [concept] and doubling down,” Saltzman said, adding that the new command will help provide “the data sets [needed] for budget fights.”
However, lawmakers on Capitol Hill and Space Force leaders appear to be charting two different paths for expanding the force.
Lawmakers are pushing for faster technology development and acquisition, while the Space Force focuses on strengthening its planning and analytical capabilities for long-term growth.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said at the CSIS event, that the Space Force needs to focus more on developing a larger roster of acquisition and technology experts rather than focusing on operators.
“I’ll be blunt – the Space Force needs to grow,” Rep. Rogers said. “[But] the Space Force has to be led by more than just operators. They must recognize the contributions of all career services if it is to be successful … After all, what are those operators going to operate if acquirers aren’t acquiring?”
When referencing the budget, the congressman also explained that the service cannot “expect Congress to just throw more money at doing things the way [it] always [has].”
“We must approach acquisition differently,” Rep. Rogers said. “We can no longer afford to wait eight or more years to develop requirements, and conduct long drawn-out competition processes … nor can we afford these endless cost-plus development contracts.”
