SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Pence unveils plan to create Space Force by 2020
Vice President Mike Pence announced the Pentagon's detailed plan for President Donald Trump's vision of a Space Force on Thursday, which would establish the first military branch in over 70 years.
[...] Pence on Thursday stressed that the new branch would be built, in part, from pre-existing elements. "The Space Force will not be built from scratch," Pence said during a speech before members of the Pentagon. "This is a critical step toward's establishing the Space Force as the sixth branch of our armed forces."
Here are the four components to the Department of Defense establishing a Space Force:
First, DoD will establish a Space Development Agency to develop and field space capabilities at speed and scale. The Air Force has already begun to transform its Space and Missile Center (SMC). The Department will accelerate and extend this transformation to all services by creating a joint Space Development Agency.
Second, the Department will develop the Space Operations Force to support the Combatant Commands. These joint space warfighters will provide space expertise to combatant commanders and the Space Development Agency, and surge expertise in time of crisis to ensure that space capabilities are leveraged effectively in conflict.
Third, the Department will create the governance, services, and support functions of the Space Force. Many of these will require changes to U.S. law. The Department will build a legislative proposal for Congressional consideration as a part of the Fiscal Year 2020 budget cycle.
Fourth, the Department will create a U.S. Space Command, led by a four star general or flag officer, to lead the use of space assets in warfighting and accelerate integration of space capabilities into other warfighting forces. U.S. Space Command will be responsible for directing the employment of the Space Force.
Will Space Development Agency research trickle down to NASA?
Previously: The United States Space Corps Wants You...
Congressional Panel Puts Plans for a US Space Corps in 2018 Defense Budget
The Case for a U.S. Space Force
President Trump Orders the Creation of a United States Space Force
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Friday August 10 2018, @02:55AM (7 children)
Nonsense. The current armed forces already have all of the necessary skills, expertise, knowledge, and whatever else you might wish for. The Navy has long experience with solitary missions that last for months, and even years further back in history. The Marines have always been the Navy's muscle - just in case the Martians finally come out to fight after we arrive. The Air Force has aerospace, of course - much of which can be simply moved into space. The Army - maybe not so valuable in space, but they can always be hauled from planet to planet by the Navy's ships, just like on earth.
It would make the MOST SENSE to just create a Space Navy, add some Marines, and the job is done.
But politics isn't supposed to make sense. Obviously, Trump has some sycophant lined up to appoint as the Space Force Commandant, or HMFICAS. (Head mother fucker in charge of all space.)
We're gonna be able to vacation in Gaza, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and maybe Minnesota soon. Incredible times.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 10 2018, @03:42AM
"It would make the MOST SENSE to just create a Space Navy, add some Marines, and the job is done."
Yeah, right. Next you're gonna suggest they'll need some kind of space ships as well. Hah!
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Friday August 10 2018, @10:12AM
I believe Pence and Trump are thinking Space Marines like in the Alien Series and think..how hard can that be? Yeah, we can do that.....
Because launching people and equipment into space is so easy, we've been doing it for years! Just gotta add MOAR BOOSTERS!
Fuck it, back to KSP.....
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 1) by bussdriver on Friday August 10 2018, @02:10PM (3 children)
Religious tax payers don't like pentagons; this will please them after we spend a few billion creating The Hexagon for this new equal branch... For trump's 2nd term.
Space Force not only sounds stupid, it's a big waste of money and adds more bureaucracy. If anything should be redone it's merging the branches; and while doing that remove the modern name and go back to the Dept. of War -- the honest original name.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday August 10 2018, @02:32PM (2 children)
Merging branches? Up to a point. Put the Air Force back into the Army. Making a separate Air Force was nothing more, and nothing less, than a political maneuver. Marines and Navy go together like beer and football, so no problems, again. But, you can't merge those two remaining forces very well.
The other armed force? The Coast Guard? Nahhhh - they have an entirely different mission than the others. The Coast Guard are police forces, and part of the Department of Transportation. They aren't even part of DoD, or Department of War, or whatever we're calling it these days. Just let the Coasties do what the Coasties do, because they are good at it.
Imagine, if you will, a bunch of battle crazed, hardened war veterans patrolling the various tourist traps on the US coasts. Do you really want the Navy launching a gig full of Marines to come inspect your little party barge?
"SARGE! Bag of pot here!"
"SARGE! Bag of white powder here!"
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!"
If that isn't enough to get your imagination cooking, check out David Drake's 'Redliners'. The basic premise of the story is, "What do you do with combat troops who are no longer fit for combat, and too damned dangerous to bring back into the civilian population?"
We're gonna be able to vacation in Gaza, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and maybe Minnesota soon. Incredible times.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 10 2018, @05:20PM (1 child)
A neighbor joined the Coast Guard during the Vietnam War only to serve in Riverine Patrol in that country. The Coast Guard provided many of the coxswains for the landing craft in WWII. Show a little respect.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday August 10 2018, @05:32PM
I meant no disrespect - I only pointed out that the Coasties have a carefully maintained legal status, entirely separate from the DoD. They won't want to lose that status, because it would complicate their law enforcement mission. It could even adversely affect their safety and rescue missions if they lost their status. The courts do all sorts of weird things, never know what they'll come up with next.
We're gonna be able to vacation in Gaza, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and maybe Minnesota soon. Incredible times.
(Score: 2) by Dr Spin on Friday August 10 2018, @04:58PM
It would make the MOST SENSE to just
create a Space Navy, add some Marines, and the job is done.hire Chuck Norris.FTFY
Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!