Establishment of the United States Space Force

Vol. 84

Monday,

No. 37

February 25, 2019

Part II

The President

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Space Policy Directive-4 of February 19, 2019--Establishment of the
United States Space Force

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Title 3--
The President

Space Policy Directive-4 of February 19, 2019

Establishment of the United States Space Force

Memorandum for the Vice President[,] the Secretary of
State[,] the Secretary of Defense[,] the Secretary of
Commerce[,] the Secretary of Labor[,] the Secretary of
Transportation[,] the Secretary of Homeland Security[,]
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget[,]
the Director of National Intelligence[,] the Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs[,] the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy[,] the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff[,]
the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration[, and] the Deputy Assistant to the
President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism

Section 1. Introduction. Space is integral to our way
of life, our national security, and modern warfare.
Although United States space systems have historically
maintained a technological advantage over those of our
potential adversaries, those potential adversaries are
now advancing their space capabilities and actively
developing ways to deny our use of space in a crisis or
conflict. It is imperative that the United States adapt
its national security organizations, policies,
doctrine, and capabilities to deter aggression and
protect our interests. Toward that end, the Department
of Defense shall take actions under existing authority
to marshal its space resources to deter and counter
threats in space, and to develop a legislative proposal
to establish a United States Space Force as a sixth
branch of the United States Armed Forces within the
Department of the Air Force. This is an important step
toward a future military department for space. Under
this proposal, the United States Space Force would be
authorized to organize, train, and equip military space
forces of the United States to ensure unfettered access
to, and freedom to operate in, space, and to provide
vital capabilities to joint and coalition forces in
peacetime and across the spectrum of conflict.

Sec. 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this
memorandum and the legislative proposal directed by
section 3 of this memorandum, the following definitions
shall apply:

(a) The term ``United States Space Force'' refers
to a new branch of the United States Armed Forces to be
initially placed by statute within the Department of
the Air Force.
(b) The term ``Department of the Space Force''
refers to a future military department within the
Department of Defense that will be responsible for
organizing, training, and equipping the United States
Space Force.
(c) The term ``United States Space Command'' refers
to a Unified Combatant Command to be established
pursuant to the Presidential memorandum of December 18,
2018 (Establishment of United States Space Command as a
Unified Combatant Command), that will be responsible
for Joint Force space operations as will be assigned in
the Unified Command Plan.

Sec. 3. Legislative Proposal and Purpose. The Secretary
of Defense shall submit a legislative proposal to the
President through the Office of Management and Budget
that would establish the United States Space Force as a
new armed service within the Department of the Air
Force.

The legislative proposal would, if enacted, establish
the United States Space Force to organize, train, and
equip forces to provide for freedom of operation in,
from, and to the space domain; to provide independent
military options for national leadership; and to
enhance the lethality and effectiveness of

the Joint Force. The United States Space Force should
include both combat and combat support functions to
enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive
space operations, and joint operations in all domains.
The United States Space Force shall be organized,
trained, and equipped to meet the following priorities:

(a) Protecting the Nation's interests in space and
the peaceful use of space for all responsible actors,
consistent with applicable law, including international
law;
(b) Ensuring unfettered use of space for United
States national security purposes, the United States
economy, and United States persons, partners, and
allies;
(c) Deterring aggression and defending the Nation,
United States allies, and United States interests from
hostile acts in and from space;
(d) Ensuring that needed space capabilities are
integrated and available to all United States Combatant
Commands;
(e) Projecting military power in, from, and to
space in support of our Nation's interests; and
(f) Developing, maintaining, and improving a
community of professionals focused on the national
security demands of the space domain.

Sec. 4. Scope. (a) The legislative proposal required by
section 3 of this memorandum shall, in addition to the
provisions required under section 3 of this memorandum,
include provisions that would, if enacted:

(i) consolidate existing forces and authorities for military space
activities, as appropriate, in order to minimize duplication of effort and
eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies; and

(ii) not include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National
Reconnaissance Office, or other non-military space organizations or
missions of the United States Government.

(b) The proposed United States Space Force should:

(i) include, as determined by the Secretary of Defense in consultation with
the Secretaries of the military departments, the uniformed and civilian
personnel conducting and directly supporting space operations from all
Department of Defense Armed Forces;

(ii) assume responsibilities for all major military space acquisition
programs; and

(iii) create the appropriate career tracks for military and civilian space
personnel across all relevant specialties, including operations,
intelligence, engineering, science, acquisition, and cyber.

Sec. 5. United States Space Force Budget. In accordance
with the Department of Defense budget process, the
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget a proposed budget
for the United States Space Force to be included in the
President's Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request.

Sec. 6. United States Space Force Organization and
Leadership. (a) The legislative proposal required by
section 3 of this memorandum shall create a civilian
Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space, to be known
as the Under Secretary for Space, appointed by the
President by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate.

(b) The legislative proposal shall establish a
Chief of Staff of the Space Force, who will be a senior
military officer in the grade of General or Admiral,
and who shall serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff.

Sec. 7. Associated Elements. (a) A Unified Combatant
Command for space, to be known as the United States
Space Command, will be established consistent with law,
as directed on December 18, 2018. This command will
have all of the responsibilities of a Unified Combatant
Command in addition to the space-related
responsibilities previously assigned to United

States Strategic Command. It will also have the
responsibilities of the Joint Force provider and Joint
Force training for space operations forces. Moving
expeditiously toward a Unified Combatant Command
reflects the importance of warfighting in space to the
Joint Force. The commander of this command will lead
space warfighting through global space operations that
may occur in the space domain, the terrestrial domains,
or through the electromagnetic spectrum.

(b) With forces provided by the United States Space
Force and other United States Armed Forces, the United
States Space Command shall ensure unfettered access to,
and freedom to operate in, space and provide vital
effects and capabilities to joint and coalition forces
during peacetime and across the spectrum of conflict.

Sec. 8. Relationship with National Intelligence. The
Secretary of Defense and the Director of National
Intelligence shall create and enhance mechanisms for
collaboration between the Department of Defense and the
United States Intelligence Community in order to
increase unity of effort and the effectiveness of space
operations. The Secretary of Defense and the Director
of National Intelligence shall provide a report to the
President within 180 days of the date of this
memorandum on steps they have taken and are planning to
take toward these ends, including legislative proposals
as necessary and appropriate.

Sec. 9. Operational Authorities. In order to ensure
that the United States Space Force and United States
Space Command have the necessary operational
authorities, the National Space Council and the
National Security Council shall coordinate an
accelerated review of space operational authorities.
Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the
Secretary of Defense shall present to the National
Space Council and the National Security Council
proposed relevant authority changes for the President's
approval. The National Space Council and the National
Security Council shall then conduct an interagency
review of the Secretary's proposal and make
recommendations to the President on appropriate
authorities, to be completed no later than 60 days from
the date the Secretary of Defense presents his proposal
to the councils.

Sec. 10. Periodic Review. As the United States Space
Force matures, and as national security requires, it
will become necessary to create a separate military
department, to be known as the Department of the Space
Force. This department will take over some or all
responsibilities for the United States Space Force from
the Department of the Air Force. The Secretary of
Defense will conduct periodic reviews to determine when
to recommend that the President seek legislation to
establish such a department.

Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this
memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise
affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent
with applicable law and United States national and
homeland security requirements, and subject to the
availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or
procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any
party against the United States, its departments,
agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or
agents, or any other person.

(d) The Secretary of Defense is authorized and
directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal
Register.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, February 19, 2019