Comparison of Space Force and Air Force

Founded in December 2019, the United States Space Force (USSF) is the newest branch of the United States military. The USSF is a branch of the United States Air Force (USAF); both branches are part of the United States Department of the Air Force. Although they overlap in many areas, they differ in their overall purpose. This article will examine how the Space Force compares to the Air Force, where they converge and where they differ.

Why this matters

As the USSF approaches its fifth anniversary, it is not as well established or understood as other military branches. Despite its relatively small size, the Space Force will play an increasingly important role in future security needs.

Early history

The US Air Force officially became a separate branch of the US military in 1947, two years after World War II. In practical terms, the United States Army Air Forces were already fully independent in all but name, the 1947 act formalizing this change. The Space Force followed a similar trajectory, emerging from the shadow of the Air Force.

The idea of ​​”space superiority” predates the launch of America’s first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958. General Bernard Schriever oversaw the first US military space organization in 1954. The Western Development Division’s primary purpose was to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles under Air Force command. Schriever spoke about the importance of space to national security months before the Soviet Union launched its first satellite in October 1957:

A word is necessary about the relationship between military need and scientific feasibility in space technology. In the long run, our safety as a nation may depend on achieving “space superiority.” In a few decades, the important battles may not be sea or air battles, but space battles, and we should spend some fraction of our national resources to ensure that we do not fall behind in achieving space supremacy.

Schriever’s words proved prophetic. In 1960, an American U-2 spy plane was knocked down and its pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was captured. The incident meant that reconnaissance flights over the USSR were no longer viable for intelligence gathering. The United States developed satellites for military purposes in the 1960s and 1970s.

The “First Space War” towards independence

In 1991, the Gulf War was described as “the first space war” as orbital assets were used for communications, navigation and missile early warning. The concept of a new independent military branch was explored in a 2001 commission chaired by Donald Rumsfield.

The use of space in defense of US interests may require the creation of a military space department at a future date.

That “next time” came nearly 20 years later, under the Trump administration. While there were skeptics in the White House, there was also strong bipartisan support. The United States Space Force was created on December 20, 2019.

Scope

The main priorities of the USAF are achieving and maintaining air superiority, the ability to respond quickly to global conflicts, intelligence and reconnaissance. Simply put, air superiority is a situation where one side has control of the skies and can conduct airstrikes with little or no interference. Air superiority is essential to military success in the modern age. One of the reasons the war in Ukraine is dragging on so long is that Russia has failed to establish air superiority over Ukraine. In contrast, the United States has enjoyed air superiority in every conflict it has fought since the end of World War II.

The Space Force overlaps and compliments the intelligence and reconnaissance missions of the Air Force. The USSF has three main objectives:

• Space superiority
• Global mission operations
• Secured access to the space

Space superiority is not quite the same as air superiority. In the context of the USSF mission, it means defense against space and counterspace threats. In other words, protecting US satellites from cyber attacks and denying adversaries the use of their space assets. For the USSF, “Global Mission Operations” refers to ensuring the flow of information for the United States and its allies. This means ensuring that friendly forces can see, communicate and navigate during military operations. Assured access to space is the deployment and support of assets in space and their 24/7 monitoring. There are now more than 25,000 orbiting objects in space.

Budget, staff and organization

In its own words, the USSF is “lean and nimble.” With 14,500 personnel, known as Guardsmen, the Space Force is the smallest branch of the US military. The USAF, by contrast, has over 320,000 active personnel. Their respective budgets are similarly uneven, the USSF budget is $29.4, while the Air Force has a budget. more than six times higher. Consequently, the Space Force relies on its self-described sister branch for support. The overlap between the two is also evident in personnel.

The USSF has one rank structure similar to that of other insignia branches, its motto “Sempra Supra” means “always above”. The first Space Force recruits came from other branches of the US military, particularly the Air Force, and from direct recruitment. The commander of the USSF, known as the Chief of Space Operations, is B. Chase Saltzman, a former Air Force officer. His predecessor and first Chief of Space Operations was John W. Raymond, another former USAF officer. Both the USSF and the USAF are part of the Department of the Air Force and report to the Secretary of the Air Force, Frank Kendall.

Locations

Like all other US military branches, the USSF is headquartered in Washington DC. Domestically, the Space Force operates 46 bases in 18 states. Internationally, it has 10 major sites worldwide, including Greenland, Germany, Qatar and the UK. The USAF has a more pronounced global presence, with dozens of domestically and overseas air bases. The bases located in Guam, Japan and South Korea can be said to be the most strategically important.

rivalry

Like the Air Force, the main adversaries of the Space Force on the world stage are China and Russia. Both nations have their own equivalents to the USSF. China has the People’s Liberation Army Aerospace Force (PLAASF) and Russia has the Russian Space Force. China’s space force was established earlier this year as part of a major reorganization. As China seeks to develop a world-class military, Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of space for China’s future ambitions and national security needs.

The United States has accused Russia of developing nuclear weapons for use in space, a charge the Kremlin denies. The impact of such an indiscriminate device would be catastrophic for the US economy and military intelligence. Using a nuclear weapon in the conventional sense is a last resort that would only be considered in the most extreme circumstances. Instead, a space nuke could be a first resort in any future conflict. There would be no human casualties, but the damage would still be extremely devastating to the US and its allies.

Conclusion

The United States Space Force is the newest and smallest branch of the US military by quite a distance. The United States Air Force is much larger and has a budget more than six times that of its self-described sister branch. The Space Force’s journey from useful adjunct to independence mirrors the Air Force’s path away from the United States military. There is some overlap between the two services, and the US Air Force continues to provide support for the USSF. It will take time for the Space Force to develop its own identity and make its mark. With China and Russia investing in their own space forces, the prediction made by Bernard Schriever in 1957 has truly stood the test of time. In the coming years, the United States Space Force will likely have the opportunity to prove its worth.

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