Maj. Gen. William Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command’s 14th Air Force—provider of space assets to combatant commanders—reminded attendees Friday at AFA’s Los Angeles Space Symposium that US national security is “critically dependent on space.” Shelton said US enemies already have compromised our security in all four domains: air, land, space, and cyberspace. To defeat these security breaches, he said the US must start ensuring space situational awareness. And, according to Shelton, “We are going to spend quite a bit of money” to do so.
Space Force acquisition leaders were already looking to see if they could shift some of their biggest programs to use commercial services or technology, but one of President Donald Trump's executive orders, signed April 9, that could super-charge that effort.