Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James has said she believes the next U.S. administration should facilitate the decision-making process when it comes to the direction of the Defense Department’s investments in the space domain.
James made the remarks when she appeared with Army Secretary Eric Fanning and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus at a Center for a New American Security-hosted panel discussion held Monday in Washington, the Air Force said Wednesday.
“Space is terribly important and we have to make some decisions going forward,†James said.
“Some years ago we thought space was a peaceful domain, today we recognize that it is both contested and congested by lots of satellites, debris and all sorts of things,â€Â she added.
James noted that the military branch has started to hire cyber professionals from the private sector to serve in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve on a part-time basis.
She also cited the need for the Air Force to adapt and innovate in response to emerging security threats such as the threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems, according to the report.
