The U.S. Air Force has appointed 43 military, government civilian and contractor personnel to the service branch’s newly established Space Operations Directorate that will have an initial operating capability by Monday.Shawn Barnes, deputy director and legislative liaison within the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, will join the new directorate as assistant deputy chief of staff for space operations, the service branch said Thursday.
Maj. Gen. Pamela Lincoln, mobilization assistant to the commander of the 14th Air Force, will serve as mobilization assistant to the deputy chief of staff for space operations.
“Mr. Barnes and Maj. Gen. Lincoln are experienced leaders who will provide the vision and direction for our new Space Operations Directorate,” said Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein noted the directorate aims to equip space forces with tools necessary to help them operate in various environments; protect U.S. space systems; and provide space technology support to the joint force.
The directorate is part of the service branch’s efforts to align its operations, processes and organizational structure with the concept that space is a warfighting domain.
The Air Force also plans to develop a new space warfighting concept of operations; revamp its space force training model; streamline acquisition processes; and boost the resilience and survivability of space systems.
