Sen. Wayne Allard and Rep. Jane Harman have introduced legislation that “explicitly prohibits” the Air Force from reducing the number of AFSPC military, civilian, and contractor support personnel that existed on Jan. 1, 2006. (See above.) The measure would require the service to submit a report on any proposed Space Command cuts that would outline the plan, provide justification, make an assessment of the impact, and certify that the reduction “does not diminish” the command’s programs for acquisition, operations, and technology development. The lawmakers believe that cuts to AFSPC will jeopardize the command’s ability to put back on track several vital space programs that have been criticized for cost excesses and technological immaturity.
After years of experiments and tests, senior Air Force leaders say they're on the verge of using C-17s and other cargo aircraft to launch cruise missiles via airdrop, touting the development as a way to bolster the combat fleet and a major shift in the service’s mindset.