US Space Force Command Structure (Image Credit: SNN)
US Space Force (USSP) officials announced that the new branch of service will have a command structure comprised of three field commands. To help implement this many of the Air Force’s existing space acquisition organizations will be moved into a newly created Space Systems Command, the service announced on Tuesday. The announcement also indicated that the new organization would consolidate and align the organization using space-related units formerly run by the Air Force.
Gen. Jay Raymond, USSF chief of space operations, has indicated that this is an opportunity to launch the Space Force on the right trajectory while aiding the delivery of needed capabilities to ensure freedom of movement and deterrence of aggression. The USSF field echelons will be called, in order of hierarchy, field commands, deltas and squadrons.
USSF service field commands will be called Space Operations Command (SpOC), Space Systems Command (SSC) and Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM). Note that the first two field commands will be led by three-star officers and the third will be led by a two-star officer.
The SpOC will be headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. This represents a change in location for the SpOC from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The California command will be renamed on activation of the Colorado-based SpOC. SSC will be responsible for developing and acquiring lethal space capabilities for warfighters and for launch, developmental testing, on-orbit checkout and maintenance of USSF systems.
Finally, STARCOM will train and educate space professionals and develop combat-ready troops to address the challenges of combat in space. In order to staff these organizations more than 8,500 active-duty members of the Air Force have already volunteered and over 16,000 military members and civilians have already been assigned to the Space Force, which was created in December.
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