Fresh off a rebuff, of sorts, over its bid to claim executive agent status for higher flying unmanned aerial vehicles, the Air Force reportedly is seeking to lasso development, acquisition, and operational control over future military and national security satellite programs. Andy Pasztor of the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, boss of Space and Missile Systems Center, told an industry conference in Los Angeles this week that USAF wants to curtail “fractious infighting” and develop a “more coherent framework.” The Air Force has yet to present the plan to Pentagon leadership or Congress, but he told Pasztor that there is some lawmaker support for fencing military space programs to prevent funds encroachment. He sees the USAF push for unified control as building on that.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
