Air Force Space Command on July 16 issued its list of space and cyberspace priorities. The command’s 15 prioritized space capabilities are: nuclear, survivable communications; launch detection/missile tracking; position, navigation, and timing; space situational awareness and battlespace awareness; defensive space control; assured space access/spacelift; space command and control; satellite operations; protected, tactical communications; offensive space control; unprotected communications; space-to-surface intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; terrestrial environmental monitoring; nuclear detonation detection; and responsive spacelift. The command’s nine prioritized cyberspace capabilities are: proactive defense; defensive counter-cyberspace (recon/counter-recon); cyberspace ISR and situational awareness; persistent network operations; data confidentiality and integrity systems; cyberspace operations center; offensive counter-cyberspace for global reach and access; net extension and resiliency; and influence operations. The AFSPC commander is the Air Force’s core function lead integrator for space and cyberspace superiority core functions. In this role, he is responsible for defining service-wide investments supporting these functions.
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
