Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, Washington, D.C., October 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization, and the future of Space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)SecAF speaks at the Center for Strategic & International Studies
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., Oct. 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization and the future of space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, Washington, D.C., October 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization, and the future of Space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)SecAF speaks at the Center for Strategic & International Studies
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., Oct. 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization and the future of space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., Oct. 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization and the future of Space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)SecAF speaks at the Center for Strategic & International Studies
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., Oct. 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization and the future of space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., Oct. 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization and the future of Space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)SecAF speaks at the Center for Strategic & International Studies
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., Oct. 5, 2017. Wilson highlighted the need to invest in our Airmen, readiness, modernization and the future of space operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wayne A. Clark)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

SecAF addresses air and space innovationPublished Oct. 5, 2017
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Rusty Frank
                    
                    
                    Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Office
            **WASHINGTON (AFNS)  --**Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson spoke about the importance of modernization and innovation in space during a Center for Strategic and International Studies forum in Washington, D.C., Oct. 5, 2017.
“Our mission is to organize, train and equip air and space forces,” said Wilson. “We are the ones, since 1954, who are responsible for everything from 100 feet below the earth in missile silos all the way up to the stars...that’s our responsibility and we own it.” 
The Air Force faces significant challenges in space because America’s adversaries know how important space is to the U.S., Wilson said.
She added the Air Force is responsible for providing the world’s first utility, which is the GPS system. This global system which the U.S. military uses is the same system that industry relies on. Whether it’s the local ATM or the stock exchange, the GPS is at the center, Wilson said.
“A huge part of our economy is dependent on what’s done in space,” she said.
The Air Force must deter a conflict in space, and has an obligation to be prepared to fight and win if deterrence fails. 
To that end, the 2018 presidential budget proposed a 20 percent increase for space, which Wilson said is the next frontier of global innovation. The Air Force remains committed to gaining and maintaining space superiority across the spectrum of conflict in defense of the nation, she added. 
“We need to normalize space from a national security perspective,” said Wilson. “We have to have all of our officers who are wearing blue uniforms more knowledgeable about space capabilities and how it connects to the other domains.”
Wilson added in the future, space will no longer be a benign environment, soon it will be a common domain for human endeavor. Accessibility to space is growing rapidly as launch technology evolves, the cost of launches will drop from thousands of dollars per pound of fuel to hundreds, the technology will get faster and smaller, and more nation-states and individuals will have greater access to space.
“Our most recent launch out of Cape Canaveral was a Space X rocket that launched, and then recovered using GPS guidance technology back on the pad from which that stage launched,” said Wilson. “That wasn’t possible 10 years ago, but it’s being done by American innovation. It’s an exciting time to be part of this enterprise.”SecAF 



Heather Wilson 



innovation 



modernization 



space 



Center for Strategic and International Studies 



air and space forces 



Global Positioning Satellite system 



global innovation 



national security Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil