US Space Force accelerates acquisition and development of capabilities
Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha FLTA003 carrying the Victus Nox at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. (Photo: Firefly Aerospace)
The great power competition against China and Russia has been pushing the US Space Force (USSF) towards speeding up its acquisition and development programmes.
The USSF became the newest US service when it was established in December 2019 and has been closely working with government agencies, academia and industry to access cutting-edge solutions.
Some of the branch’s rapid efforts have been related to the use of commercial technologies, as well as the procurement of C2, missile tracking and warning, space data, satellite, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations for the branch, explained that a “significant challenge” given
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