While admitting the Air Force’s space acquisition efforts have taken their fair share of drubbings, former Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Thomas Moorman Jr. told AFA’s Air & Space Conference Sept. 14 that the future of the Air Force’s space program is a “very good news story.” Currently, the Air Force is on a path to replace the entire on-orbit space infrastructure, retiring many satellites that were developed during an era when they were not as extensively utilized as they are today. Moorman cited the development of the Space Based Infrared System, the next generation GPS III constellation, the development of new protected communications satellites, and the wideband global satcom effort as some of the programs that will vastly improve space capabilities in an era where they are vital to a range of operations across the world. The Air Force’s space modernization program is “very healthy,” Moorman said and added that the story needed to be told better.
Air Force exercises in the Indo-Pacific may soon get even bigger and more robust, as lawmakers move to invest more than $620 million in such efforts. The bulk of that money, contained in a $150 billion reconciliation package currently making its way through Congress, is $532.6 million for earmarked for…