Tag Archives: Air Force Space Command

President Trump nominated Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, to serve as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Acting Defense Secretary and 2019 Wash100 Award winner Patrick Shanahan announced Hyten’s nomination in a news release published Tuesday. Hyten started his military career in 1981 and held several leadership roles with the Air Force, including head of Air Force Space Command, director of space acquisition and cyber and space operations and requirements chief at Headquarters Air Force Space Command.

The U.S. Air Force secretary is assuming the responsibility of procuring commercial satellite communications services as part of the move to create a Space Force, Space News reported Monday. The Space Force’s establishment would lead to the termination of the Air Force Space Command, which is responsible to acquire satcom services for the Department of Defense.

The Department of Defense’s inspector general plans to review the U.S. Air Force’s previous certification for SpaceX to offer its Falcon launch vehicles for military launch service contracts. DoD's watchdog announced an evaluation on Monday that will examine if the service branch complied with the Launch Services New Entrant Certification Guide while certifying the launch system. 

Lt. Gen. David Thompson, vice chief of U.S. Air Force Space Command, told reporters after a Capitol Hill event that the service branch relies on industry to support the military's rocket launch needs, Space News reported Saturday. The service branch is confident the U.S. space industry will provide rockets for missions to lift military and intelligence satellites, he said.

Heather Wilson, secretary of the U.S. Air Force, said the service will continue advancing its space capabilities amid the Trump administration’s push to reorganize the Pentagon and establish a Space Force, SpaceNews reported Monday. Wilson said the Air Force is working on programs and tactics to protect U.S. satellites from adversaries. 

U.S. Air Force Space Command has assumed responsibility for the acquisition of satellite communications services in support of the Department of Defense and the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, AFSPC said Wednesday.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is set to hand over by December its oversight of satellite communications services procurement to Air Force Space Command, SpaceNews reported Thursday. Clare Grason, division chief for satcom at DISA, said her office will become part of the command and will draft an acquisition strategy next year to address commanders’ satcom requirements.

Several military leaders have been named to lead cyber commands at U.S. service branches, Fifth Domain reported Tuesday. Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, formerly chief of staff of the U.S. Cyber Command, succeeded Gen. Paul Nakasone as head of the Army Cyber Command and commander of Joint Task Force-Ares on June …

The House Appropriations Committee’s defense subpanel has released a report that would require the Defense Department to come up with an acquisition strategy that explains how it will buy commercial space systems and services to support its military communications satellites, SpaceNews reported Saturday. The report was issued alongside the defense …

The U.S. Air Force has transferred cyber responsibilities from the Air Force Space Command to the Air Combat Command as part of a mission realignment initiative. ACC will now serve as the military branch’s lead command responsible for helping Air Forces manage cyber missions and operations, USAF said Thursday. AFSPC will concentrate on efforts …