President Donald Trump signed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 18, a day after Congress passed the annual defense policy bill for the 65th consecutive year. Here’s what it means for the Air Force and Space Force.
Space
Space Force acquisition leaders say they’re worried the lapse in funding for the Small Business Innovative Research program could impede the service’s efforts to leverage commercial technology and innovation.
The Space Force’s Combat Forces Command is expanding its footprint with the creation of two new operations hubs for electronic warfare and satellite communications.
U.S. Space Command has conducted a second bilateral space domain awareness operation with France, according to SPACECOM Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting.
The Space Force wants to emphasize small, low-cost systems and commercial capabilities in the next generation of Silent Barker surveillance satellites, drawing lessons from its work to replace the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness program.
The Space Force has delayed its next Tactically Responsive Space mission, Victus Haze, until 2026, as one of its launch providers continues to recover from a rocket anomaly that occurred earlier this year.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the site of U.S. Space Command’s future home Dec. 12 and endorsed the move to establish the headquarters in Alabama after years of political back and forth.
The Space Force has accepted its first Meadowlands satellite communications jammer from prime contractor L3Harris and is poised to start using the system in operations next year.
In a move to better connect Guardians with the space systems they operate, the Space Force on Dec. 11 revealed a new naming scheme for its platforms.
