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The United States Space Force will become the sixth branch of the military, President Trump announced Monday during a speech in Washington, D.C.
Addressing the National Space Council this afternoon, the president declared:
“I’m hereby directing the Department of Defense and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a space force as the sixth branch of the armed forces.
Addressing National Space Council, Pres directs Pentagon to immediately begin the process of establishing a Space F… https://t.co/mjSoVhSG2r— Mark Knoller (@Mark Knoller) 1529339465.0
BREAKING: Trump announces he's directing Pentagon to create 'space force' as independent service branch.— The Associated Press (@The Associated Press) 1529339617.0
BREAKING: “We’re going to have the space force,” Trump says. He asks General Dunford to oversee creation of sixth… https://t.co/Yv0c5XXMqu— Jennifer Jacobs (@Jennifer Jacobs) 1529339512.0
The “Space Force” would become the sixth branch of the U.S. military, joining the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard.
The U.S. Air Force currently controls the vast majority of the space portfolio in the U.S. military. Air Force Space Command consists of some 38,000 personnel (including civilian employees), who perform missions in at least 134 locations worldwide. Its annual budget is about $9 billion, while the entire Pentagon budget for space-related endeavors stands at about $22 billion.
There are vast advantages to having an advanced military presence in space. However, a new military branch also comes with its own massive bureaucracy and hefty cost considerations.
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