FACT SHEET 

STRATEGIC CONTEXT 

- The National Defense Strategy recognizes great power competition as the central challenge to U.S. 

national security. Space is a vital national interest and critical domain in which this competition will occur. 

- The United States faces serious and growing challenges to its freedom to operate in space. China and 

Russia view counterspace capabilities as a means to reduce U.S. and allied military effectiveness. 

- Simultaneously, commercial entities are developing and delivering new space technologies and 

capabilities at a speed never seen before. U.S. interests in space are expanding. 

- This new security environment highlights the role of space in the changing character of warfare and 

presents new challenges and opportunities to the United States military. To maintain our comparative 

advantage in space, we must adapt to the changing environment. 

- No branch of the Armed Forces has been created since the United States Air Force (USAF) was established 

in 1947 – over 70 years ago. The world has changed significantly in that time. Reforming the organization 

of our military space enterprise is fundamental to transforming our approach to the space domain. 

PROPOSAL OVERVIEW 

- The legislative proposal would establish the U.S. Space Force (USSF) as a sixth branch of the Armed Forces 

within the Department of the Air Force. The USSF would protect and advance U.S. interests in space. 

- If approved by Congress, a dedicated Military Service will unify, focus, and accelerate the development 

of space doctrine, capabilities, and expertise to outpace future threats; institutionalize advocacy for space 

priorities; and further build a space warfighting culture. 

- The USSF will be responsible for organizing, training, and equipping military space forces to: 

provide for freedom of operation in, from, and to the space domain; provide independent military 

operations for joint and national leadership; and enable the lethality and effectiveness of the joint force. 

- The USSF will consolidate existing forces and authorities for military space activities, as appropriate, in 

order to minimize duplication of effort and eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies. 

- The proposal will create a civilian Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space, to be known as the Under 

Secretary for Space, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under 

Secretary for Space will provide dedicated civilian supervision of the USSF. 

- The proposal will create a Chief of Staff of the USSF in the grade of General who will be a member of 

the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and who will serve as the JCS expert on and advocate for space power. 

- Where appropriate, the USSF will leverage existing USAF infrastructure, except in performing those 

functions unique to the space domain or that are central to the independence of the new Military Service. 

- The proposal for the Space Force maximizes warfighting capacity while minimizing bureaucracy and cost.
FACT SHEET 

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART 

The Secretary of the Air Force will be responsible for two separate and distinct Military Services: USSF and USAF. 

STANDUP TIMELINE 

The standup of the USSF will be phased over five years: Fiscal Year (FY) 20 to FY24. 

- The initial elements of the USSF headquarters will be established in FY20 to prepare for mission transfer in 

FY21 and FY22. Additional build out of the force will occur in FY23 and FY24. 

- The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with each Military Department Secretary and Military Service Chief, 

will determine which existing space forces will transfer into the USSF after its creation. 

- The Department has established a full-time team to conduct detailed planning for the Space Force. The task 

force is led by a 2-star career space officer from the Air Force. 

ESTIMATED COSTS 

The FY20 budget requests $72.4M for approximately 200 personnel to stand up the USSF headquarters. 

- Starting in FY21, existing personnel and budget authority will transfer into the USSF from the existing Military 

Services until approximately 95% of the USSF budget consists of existing resources that have been transferred. 

- New resources will be dedicated to building out the USSF headquarters and establishing and maintaining new 

support elements such as education, training, doctrine, and personnel management centers. 

- Once fully established, the additive costs will be approximately $500M annually, or approximately 0.07% of 

the annual DoD budget. This estimate will be refined through detailed planning. 

- Total additional cost growth over the next five years is estimated to be less than $2B, or 0.05% of the DoD 

budget for the same period. The Future Years Defense Program topline is sufficient to fully fund the USSF. 

- The transfer of future resources will be included in the Department’s FY21 budget proposal, allowing the new 

USSF leadership to shape resource allocation and funding transfers.