It is no secret that US military forces have become more and more dependent on space, leading to an absolute need for space superiority, Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel told defense reporters in Washington Tuesday morning. The Air Force’s program executive officer for space believes that the need for “complete situational awareness,” including whether spacecraft could potentially interfere with or launch attacks “against our space capabilities,” will translate into more dollars for missile defense, Hamel said. “I think we’re going to see more money going into the whole space situational awareness and defensive capabilities across the [Defense] Department,” he concluded.
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.