Vice President Mike Pence announced a plan to create a new branch of the military dedicated to conflicts in space. The Space Force would become the sixth branch of the military, and the first new branch since the creation of the Air Force in 1947. The White House is seeking to have the new military branch established within the year. President Donald Trump responded to the announcement by tweeting "Space Force all the way!" But some experts argue a new branch of military isn't necessary. Does the U.S. need a Space Force, or is this the wrong step for our country?
In 2007, China successfully tested an anti-satellite missile, destroying a dead weather satellite. Wired writes:
While countries around the world have dramatically improved their technological capabilities in space, the U.S. has largely stagnated. Wired quotes retired U.S. Air Force major general William Shelton:
The same Wired article delineates some of the problems with embarking on an arms race in space:
Slate raises similar issues.
Proponents of Space Force within the government have hinted that foreign entities currently have the capabilities to cripple aspects of the U.S. According to The Atlantic:
Some experts within the military believe that even though the United States' lack of readiness in space is an issue and that this needs to be addressed, creating an entirely new brand of the military is not the answer. Slate writes of Secretary of Defense James Mattis' reservations with the plan.
In his speech, Pence put the idea for the Space Force within the context of the United States' military history. According to the Washington Post:
Some within the government believe the creation of a Space Force is a ridiculous idea all around.
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