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The number of operational U.S. military satellites has nearly doubled since the Space Force was created in 2019. Now its leaders want to double the size of the service itself.
The Space Force, which consists of about 10,000 guardians and 5,000 civilians, is adding about 500 troops a year—but that’s not enough, Gen. Shawn Bratton, the vice chief of space operations, during an Intelligence and National Security Alliance event late Wednesday evening.
“We’ve got to pick up the pace. We need to grow on the military side, probably around 1,000 a year, something like that, for the next decade,” Bratton said. “I think we really need to double the size.”
That’s because the newest branch of the service has seen the number of satellites under its control grow from 225 at its founding to 515 today, according to the American Enterprise Institute’s global space data navigator, while its budget has grown from $15 billion in 2020 to $39.9 billion in 2026—which includes a big bump from reconciliation funds.
Bratton said he needs more personnel to handle the growth.
“I’m super optimistic about ‘27 and we’ll see how that comes out. It’s less about budget though,” he said. “Do I have enough operators to fly all that stuff? Do I have enough infrastructure to base it somewhere? Do I have enough intelligence squadrons to develop the intelligence to make operators useful at their job?”
Some of the new personnel are working with the Pentagon’s combatant commands, where the Space Force has been catching up with its elder siblings in establishing service components to help the warfighting commanders. This week, the service and U.S. Southern Command held a ceremony designating the new Space Forces-Southern, which followed the creation of components in Indo-Pacific Command, Central Command, Africa Command, and European Command. It also established subordinate units focused on Japan and Korea.
Service officials also have aspirations to stand up a Space Force Special Operations component command, although Congress and defense experts have expressed skepticism over the plans. Earlier this month, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine noted that space operations and U.S. Space Command played a role in the recent special operations mission to capture Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.
“We do a lot with the special ops community,” Bratton said during a question-and-answer session. “They understand what they need, and they know how to ask for it, and they have a pretty good understanding of what our capabilities are.”
Bratton was asked about a longstanding cultural divide between the service’s operators and acquisition experts, a situation that has provoked actions by both Congress and service leaders. The vice chief, a career operator, highlighted recent statements by Gen. Chance Saltzman, the chief of space operations, and called reforms to the officer training program a much-needed improvement.
“This is just by sheer force of will, the CSO driving the service to deliver this,” Bratton said. “The operators have to be involved in acquisitions, not just understand it, have to be involved in it. The acquirers have to have operational experience.”
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16 Comments
The creation of Space Forces-Southern and other components in Indo-Pacific Command, Central Command, Africa Command, and European Command is a significant step towards integrating the Space Force into the military’s overall strategy.
The increase in budget from $15 billion to $39.9 billion in just six years is a significant investment in the Space Force, and it will be important to ensure that the funding is being used effectively to support the growth of the service.
Gen. Bratton’s comment that the growth of the Space Force is ‘less about budget’ and more about having enough personnel and infrastructure is a crucial point, as the service will need to prioritize its resources carefully to achieve its goals.
The growth of the Space Force is a complex issue, and it will require careful planning and management to ensure that the service is able to achieve its goals and support the broader military strategy.
I’m curious about the potential role of the proposed Space Force Special Operations component command and how it will interact with other special operations forces, especially given the recent success of the mission to capture Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.
The Space Force’s involvement in special operations is still a relatively new development, and it will be interesting to see how it evolves in the coming years.
The establishment of subordinate units focused on Japan and Korea is a significant development, and it will be interesting to see how these units contribute to the Space Force’s overall mission.
I’m skeptical about the Space Force’s ability to find and train 1,000 new personnel per year, especially when it comes to handling the growth in satellites and budget, which has increased from $15 billion in 2020 to $39.9 billion in 2026.
Gen. Shawn Bratton’s statement about needing more operators to fly the new equipment and enough intelligence squadrons to develop useful intelligence is a valid concern, especially with the establishment of new Space Force components in various combatant commands.
The Space Force’s growth is not just about numbers, but also about developing the necessary expertise and capabilities to operate effectively in a rapidly changing space environment.
I’m concerned that the rapid growth of the Space Force may lead to growing pains, and it will be important for the service to prioritize its personnel and infrastructure needs to ensure a smooth transition.
The Space Force will need to balance its growth with the need to maintain its current operations and ensure that its personnel are adequately trained and supported.
The involvement of the Space Force in the recent special operations mission to capture Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro highlights the importance of the service’s role in supporting other military operations.
The Space Force’s plan to double its size to around 20,000 guardians is ambitious, but it’s necessary considering the significant growth in operational satellites from 225 to 515 since its creation in 2019.
The Space Force’s plans to double its size and increase its capabilities are ambitious, but they are necessary to ensure that the US remains a leader in space operations.
The cultural divide between the service’s operators and acquisition experts is a long-standing issue, and it’s good to see that Gen. Chance Saltzman is driving reforms to the officer training program to address this problem.