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The number of operational U.S. military satellites has nearly doubled since the Space Force was created in 2019. Now its leaders want to double the size of the service itself.
The Space Force, which consists of about 10,000 guardians and 5,000 civilians, is adding about 500 troops a year—but that’s not enough, Gen. Shawn Bratton, the vice chief of space operations, during an Intelligence and National Security Alliance event late Wednesday evening.
“We’ve got to pick up the pace. We need to grow on the military side, probably around 1,000 a year, something like that, for the next decade,” Bratton said. “I think we really need to double the size.”
That’s because the newest branch of the service has seen the number of satellites under its control grow from 225 at its founding to 515 today, according to the American Enterprise Institute’s global space data navigator, while its budget has grown from $15 billion in 2020 to $39.9 billion in 2026—which includes a big bump from reconciliation funds.
Bratton said he needs more personnel to handle the growth.
“I’m super optimistic about ‘27 and we’ll see how that comes out. It’s less about budget though,” he said. “Do I have enough operators to fly all that stuff? Do I have enough infrastructure to base it somewhere? Do I have enough intelligence squadrons to develop the intelligence to make operators useful at their job?”
Some of the new personnel are working with the Pentagon’s combatant commands, where the Space Force has been catching up with its elder siblings in establishing service components to help the warfighting commanders. This week, the service and U.S. Southern Command held a ceremony designating the new Space Forces-Southern, which followed the creation of components in Indo-Pacific Command, Central Command, Africa Command, and European Command. It also established subordinate units focused on Japan and Korea.
Service officials also have aspirations to stand up a Space Force Special Operations component command, although Congress and defense experts have expressed skepticism over the plans. Earlier this month, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine noted that space operations and U.S. Space Command played a role in the recent special operations mission to capture Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.
“We do a lot with the special ops community,” Bratton said during a question-and-answer session. “They understand what they need, and they know how to ask for it, and they have a pretty good understanding of what our capabilities are.”
Bratton was asked about a longstanding cultural divide between the service’s operators and acquisition experts, a situation that has provoked actions by both Congress and service leaders. The vice chief, a career operator, highlighted recent statements by Gen. Chance Saltzman, the chief of space operations, and called reforms to the officer training program a much-needed improvement.
“This is just by sheer force of will, the CSO driving the service to deliver this,” Bratton said. “The operators have to be involved in acquisitions, not just understand it, have to be involved in it. The acquirers have to have operational experience.”
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20 Comments
Gen. Bratton’s optimism about the Space Force’s prospects in 2027 is encouraging, but it’s also important to consider the potential challenges and risks that the service may face in the coming year.
The Space Force’s budget growth from $15 billion in 2020 to $39.9 billion in 2026 is a significant increase, but it’s unclear how this funding will be allocated across different areas of the service.
Gen. Bratton’s comment that the Space Force needs more personnel to handle the growth of its satellite operations highlights the importance of investing in human capital to support the service’s expanding mission.
The establishment of new Space Force components in various combatant commands, such as Space Forces-Southern, is a positive step towards integrating space operations into the broader military strategy.
The Space Force’s plan to double its size to accommodate the growing number of operational satellites is ambitious, but it’s unclear if the budget increase from $15 billion in 2020 to $39.9 billion in 2026 will be sufficient to support this growth.
The budget increase is significant, but it’s also important to consider the potential costs of expanding the service’s infrastructure and personnel.
Gen. Shawn Bratton’s statement that the Space Force needs to grow by around 1,000 personnel per year for the next decade highlights the challenges of scaling up the service to meet the demands of its expanding satellite operations.
I’m skeptical about the Space Force’s plans to stand up a Special Operations component command, given the skepticism expressed by Congress and defense experts – what specific benefits would this bring to the service?
The potential benefits could include enhanced cooperation with special operations forces and improved ability to conduct space-based operations in support of special ops missions.
The reforms to the officer training program, as highlighted by Gen. Chance Saltzman, are a positive step towards addressing the cultural divide between operators and acquisition experts, but more needs to be done to ensure effective collaboration between these groups.
The growth of the Space Force’s satellite operations has significant implications for the broader US military strategy, and its expansion should be closely coordinated with other branches of the military to ensure effective integration.
The American Enterprise Institute’s global space data navigator provides valuable insights into the growth of the Space Force’s satellite operations, and its data should be closely monitored to inform future decisions about the service’s expansion.
The mention of the Space Force’s role in the recent special operations mission to capture Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro raises questions about the service’s involvement in covert operations and its potential impact on international relations.
The cultural divide between operators and acquisition experts is a longstanding issue that needs to be addressed, and reforms to the officer training program are a step in the right direction.
The fact that the Space Force is adding about 500 troops a year, but needs to grow by around 1,000 per year, suggests that the service is facing significant recruitment and retention challenges.
The Space Force’s plans to expand its infrastructure and personnel to support its growing satellite operations will require careful planning and execution to ensure that the service can effectively manage its expanded capability.
The establishment of Space Forces-Southern and other regional components is a positive step towards enhancing the Space Force’s ability to support combatant commands and contribute to regional security.
The growth of the Space Force’s satellite operations from 225 to 515 since its founding in 2019 is impressive, but it also raises concerns about the service’s ability to manage and maintain this expanded capability.
The Space Force’s role in supporting special operations missions, as highlighted by Gen. Dan Caine, underscores the importance of the service’s capabilities in enabling joint military operations.
The Space Force’s aspirations to expand its presence in regions such as Japan and Korea through the establishment of subordinate units could have significant implications for regional security dynamics.