Many factors combined to slow the creation of an independent armed force for space before it took off this year: politics, higher legislative priorities, military officials trying to protect the piece of the pie they already had. But none proved more challenging than the Air ...
Congress
Congressional authorizers are urging the Air Force to find common ground between its regular and special-operations forces as the service experiments with light attack aircraft.
The NDAA funded 60 F-35As for the Air Force—12 more than the service originally requested. However, it also the Air Force to provide an aviation force structure acquisition plan by March 1 of 2020.
Lawmakers backed the Air Force’s plan to begin buying the F-15EX fighter jet from Boeing but want to restrict funding until the service provides more information about the model.
Congress green-lit a new Space Force in its joint fiscal 2020 defense policy bill, under a proposal that would elevate Air Force Space Command to become the Pentagon’s sixth military service under the Department of the Air Force.
The Air Force has a “war room” of space experts that have been preparing for the go ahead from lawmakers, which could come as early as Dec. 11, to create the new Space Force.
Senate and House conferees have reached an agreement on the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, with a vote expected on Dec. 9, key lawmakers said. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said it is essential the NDAA fully authorize the creation of the Space Force.
An official representing Air Force landlord Balfour Beatty Communities told lawmakers Dec. 5 the company will refund performance bonuses if it finds its employees committed fraud.
The chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees are still hashing out differences between their chambers’ versions of the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill, offering conflicting opinions on when that work may end as their days in session dwindle.
