Slashing satellite and space launch programs would displace the United States as the world’s leading power within decades, said speakers at a space forum on Capitol Hill. Steven Bucci, a Heritage Foundation senior research fellow, viewed satellite capabilities as fundamental components of America’s military might. A lapse in “continually evolving” space technologies would ripple out, limiting current and future capabilities, he said during the July 26 event, which the TechAmerica Space Enterprise Council and Marshall Institute sponsored. Joel Arends, an Iraq war veteran and founder of Veterans for a Strong America, noted the importance of GPS and newer technologies that give soldiers a bird’s eye view of a battle in real time. “The biggest recipient of space-based technology were guys like me,” he said. (Marshall Institute webpage of event, with video link.)
In the face of Chinese war plans to disrupt U.S. command-and-control networks in the event of a conflict, the Air Force needs to focus less on its “connect everything” efforts and prepare its combat aviators to fight without a constant connection to higher-ups, according to a new report from AFA’s…
