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Trump Directs Pentagon To Create Space Force Legislation for Congress (wsj.com)

Posted by msmash on from the moving-forward dept.

President Donald Trump signed a directive on Tuesday that ordered the Department of Defense to create a Space Force as a sixth military branch. From a report: With a directive signed Tuesday, Mr. Trump was positioning the Space Force much as the Marine Corps fits into the Navy, officials said, with the result being lower costs and less bureaucracy. The plan would require congressional approval. Mr. Trump is to propose funding in his proposed 2020 budget, and spell out a goal of eventually establishing the Space Force as a separate military department, a senior administration official said. "Space, that's the next step and we have to be prepared," said Mr. Trump, who added that adversaries were training forces and developing technology. "I think we'll have great support from Congress."

The order Mr. Trump signed, Space Policy Directive 4, calls for a legislative proposal by the secretary of defense to establish a chief of staff of the Space Force within the Air Force. That officer would be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to an outline. There also be a new under secretary of defense for space to be appointed by the president. The proposal calls for the Space Force to organize, train and equip personnel to defend the U.S. in space, to provide independent military options for "joint and national leadership" and "enable the lethality and effectiveness of the joint force," according to the administration's outline.

23 of 259 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe not a bad idea... by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    ...at first, I wasn't thinking this was necessary at all.

    But with recent readings about how China really seems to be upping their space game, and apparently looking to set up a base on the moon, this actually might not be a bad idea.

    China is definitely doing military groundwork for space, and we don't want to be caught with our pants too far down.

    And this actually might boost conventional space progress for us...something we've lost over the past decades.

    If you have military $$ behind it, it might give the regular NASA stuff a boost too.

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    1. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by Vegan+Cyclist · · Score: 5, Funny

      I agree it's a direction to take, but the name.. Space Force. I feel like I'm starting to live in a Mel Brooks film.

    2. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by lgw · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I agree it's a direction to take, but the name.. Space Force. I feel like I'm starting to live in a Mel Brooks film.

      Why? Air Force; Space Force. It's what the Russians called their agency (well, in Russian).

      When military airplanes became a mature part of warfare, it was time to split off the Army Air Core and make a new uniformed service. These days, the Air Force has a mature group within it that launches and uses spy satellites (and other secret missions). It's enough of a disjoint specialty that a new uniformed service makes sense.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    3. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      But with recent readings about how China really seems to be upping their space game, and apparently looking to set up a base on the moon, this actually might not be a bad idea.

      Increasing military involvement in space, good idea. Separating military involvement in space from the air force, premature idea.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Fuck me. Nothing but "Orage Man Bad" on Slashdot these days. Can't we fucking discuss the topic?

      Trump's name is literally in the headline, and you're complaining that someone said something about Trump? You whine the internets.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by Penguinisto · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yes and no.

      Any bureaucracy is going to spring forth from any new entity created within government. That much is a given.

      However, the USAF can focus on everything in the atmosphere. Satellites (and let's not forget the two space shuttles the USAF has) can go to its own branch and not cause too much of an issue. With its own Chain, the Space Force can bypass the pilot-heavy-to-the-point-of-religion circle-jerk that Big Blue's chain of command has always been, and get its initiatives through without having to fight a metric shitload of "geez, can't we just buy a more expensive fighter instead?" officer corps.

      As it stands now, the only way to get around that is to have the project be a Black one, where it avoids having to deal with all the bullshit politics found in the normal channels (see also those two space shuttles I mentioned earlier.) With its own branch, they can set themselves up to be more efficient towards their own initiatives... which has the hopeful happy side effect of helping to expand human entry into space (and if not, at least helping NASA out a bit more, considering the near-starvation budgeted political plaything that NASA has become.)

      Incidentally, there is still that little treaty every superpower signed back in the 1960s that prohibits (physical) weaponization of space, so any new initiatives will have to have a reconnaissance role, or at least a veneer of peaceful human/scientific endeavor.

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    6. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by taustin · · Score: 2

      For those of us who grew up reading science fiction, the "Space Force" should be called "The Navy," with the existing navy changed to "The Wet Navy."

    7. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      TDS is rampant here.

      Yes, Trumpanistas who drank the orange kool-aid are everywhere. Oh, is that not what you meant? Maybe you meant that Trump is deranged?

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    8. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by thereddaikon · · Score: 3, Informative

      A lot of people who are ignorant about the issue give it flak because Trump has been publicly pushing for the Space Force. Truth is this is not a new idea and is one that a lot of very qualified military leaders, policy makers and analysts have talked about for well over a decade. Further more both China and Russia have operational equivalents in place. So this is a serious and real thing. Not some weird Sci-Fi dream. It's not space marines in power armor conquering planets. Its not Star Trek with ships flying around. Its first and foremost a more sensible way to manage mil space infrastructure with a shorter and dedicated chain of command. It's budget will no longer be cannibalized for terrestrial Air Force projects. And moving forward they will be better prepared to defend our satellites. China and Russia both are working on small disposable satellites that can be used to disabled others. Shooting one down with a missile is fine and all but makes a big mess and threatens Kessler Syndrome. The new threats can disable our satellites without making such a mess. It would deny space to us but leave it open to our enemies. One of the chief complains placed on the Air Force has been their total neglect in dealing with these new threats. So like it or not, Trump is right here. The Space Force is a good idea and one the country needs.

    9. Re: Maybe not a bad idea... by lgw · · Score: 2

      How will this new force be funded? What will be their mission? Doesn't the airforce already have this covered?

      Yes, space operations are currently part of the Air Force. They will be split off. I expect they'll be quite small at first, like our other small uniformed services (NOAA and USPHS). It will continue to grow over time, though.

      Traditionally the air force has had this covered. Seems like we could have necessary defenses with a specialized unit without the overhead of an entire military branch.

      Perhaps so, but amateurs almost always guess wrong about questions of military logistics, so I'll avoid guessing.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    10. Re:Maybe not a bad idea... by jwhyche · · Score: 2

      Of all his dumb ideals this is the one I want to succeed the most.

      --
      I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
  2. National Emergency! by DickBreath · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can Trump declare another National Emergency?

    Maybe, now that national emergencies can be handed out like candy and resources reallocated from their intended porpoises to other species.

    A Space Force could help to build the new Donaldson Sphere.

    A Donaldson Sphere is a mega structure that surrounds the earth. Sort of a planetary wall. To keep aliens out. And make the aliens pay for it.

    But it has secondary benefits. While it would keep out all sunlight from the earth, this would result in the need to burn more clean coal for energy. All of those left wing liberal solar panels aren't going to work so well with a Donaldson Sphere protecting the planet from sunlight.

    It's a great plan! What could go wrong? It's a fantastic use of resources. The best resources. The most brilliant plan, I tell you. Trust me. People call all the time saying that we should build the Donaldson Sphere. Believe me. It would be the biggest bestest project that shows how great American truly is.

    --

    I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    1. Re:National Emergency! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Not as long as the Bad Orange Man keeps having thought-free outbursts that fuck up and negatively affect everyday life for people and make no sense due to their extreme idiocy.

      As long as those poor decisions affect us, they will be reported here for all to point and laugh at. Maybe something will change, probably not, but at least we'll have a good laugh along the way.

      Plus the salt in GOP's fake tears are the sweetest treat of all!

  3. Finally ... by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... a career path for all the space cadets.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  4. I can't wait to join by Patent+Lover · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm not sure which color shirt I want to try for at this point. Definitely not the red one, though.

    1. Re:I can't wait to join by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 2

      You're showing your age. Now red shirts are the sign of command and authority. Yellow shirts are the most dangerous since the 1980's.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  5. Five becoming Six by Alain+Williams · · Score: 2

    Does that mean that they are going to have to rebuild The Pentagon as a six sided building of six nested hexagons each of which is six floors high ?

    Could anyone suggest a nickname for this new building ?

    1. Re:Five becoming Six by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 2

      because some future President and Congress will eventually do the sane thing ditch the Coast Guard or merge it back where they belong under the Navy.

      The Navy isn't allowed to enforce US laws. The Coast Guard is. That's why the Coast Guard is under the DHS (and was affected by the shutdown) and the Navy is under the DoD (and wasn't).

      Now, in time of war, the Coast Guard becomes a military operation. But until then, they are arresting drug dealers and saving lives on the high seas.

      because some future President and Congress will eventually do the sane thing ditch the Coast Guard or merge it back where they belong under the Navy.

      And my guess is that the "space force", should it ever exist, will be under the Air Force. After all, the Air Force can already operate at pretty high altitudes.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  6. It was a terrible idea from day 1 by rsilvergun · · Score: 4, Insightful

    weaponizing space helps nobody except the Military Industrial Complex. We had treaties to prevent this sort of thing.

    Defense is a moot point now. Pakisitan keeps turning a blind eye to domestic terrorists in India and nothing ever comes of it because the ruling class isn't going to let you and me have another big war and break all the stuff they own. Unless globalism breaks down completely we're done with World Wars.

    You won't see much new research out of this because the point isn't get get ahead of the curve or to defend the nation or even to attack others. The point is to soak up taxpayer dollars and distract from the ever worsening economy. Works too.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:It was a terrible idea from day 1 by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 2

      weaponizing space helps nobody except the Military Industrial Complex. We had treaties to prevent this sort of thing.

      We HAD treaties. We've been tearing all our treaties up the last few years. The current mission is to treat the rest of the world as rivals rather than try and make them our allies and friends.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  7. Re:Should be easy enough... by lgw · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'm sure the Pentagon can find an underused broom closet to hang the Space Force sign on.

    You do understand the the Air Force has a large group of people who launch and use spy satellites, right? (And other secret payloads we could speculate about). This isn't some futuristic Space Marines thing - this is an existing set of specialties with the Air Force, that has little in common with the other stuff the Air Force does.

    The Russian Space Force also operates their early warning radar stations and some similar Cold War stuff. That overlaps enough with core Air Force specialties that I'm not sure it makes sense to split that off, but all the satellite stuff is clear.

    As launch costs come down (and they've plummeted in the past decade), I rather expect the military will be doing a lot more with satellites.

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  8. Playing the long game... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is clearly the next step in the complicated multi-year plot to send Trump's hair back home.

  9. Re:Should be easy enough... by fat+man's+underwear · · Score: 2

    Yes. The military is a socialist outfit. Do you not see this?

    Tell me, where does the military get its money from? Who competes with the military? Where is the market pressure?

    So why do you disparage socialism? You love your military and its silly toys? But you have a problem with roads and water?

    "I can't even follow what you're trying to say. "

    Your sig is barely better.

    "Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians"

    What lie? Which totalitarians? My Canadian health care is socialized, it's a lie? I'm a fool for having a medicare card so I can be rolled into a hospital?

    I don't get you or your sig.