Meink, Saltzman Advocate for Significant Space Force Expansion Amid Growing Demands

United States - Ekhbary News Agency

Meink, Saltzman Advocate for Significant Space Force Expansion Amid Growing Demands

The U.S. Space Force is poised for a significant period of sustained expansion as its mission scope broadens and its operational tempo increases, requiring both a larger cadre of personnel and a more specialized workforce. This strategic foresight was articulated by Department of the Air Force Secretary Troy Meink during the Air & Space Forces Association’s Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado, on February 23.

A key immediate priority highlighted by Meink is the expansion of the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC), the service’s analytical hub responsible for force design and long-term architectural planning. "How the future force is designed will be critical as the Space Force expands even faster in the next few years," Meink stated, emphasizing the pivotal role of strategic planning in the service's growth trajectory.

Established in 2019 as the sixth branch of the U.S. military, the Space Force currently comprises approximately 10,000 uniformed Guardians and about 5,000 civilian employees. This foundational strength is expected to grow substantially. Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Shawn Bratton recently indicated that the service could potentially double in size over the next decade, citing escalating operational demands as the primary driver.

While specific growth targets remain undisclosed, Secretary Meink revealed extensive discussions with Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. These conversations have focused on strategies to augment the workforce, driven by the joint force's increasing reliance on satellite-based services and the emergence of new mission areas such as missile defense and space-based targeting. "We're trying to increase the size of the Space Force because they need more of everything," Meink affirmed. He underscored the Space Force's position as the smallest military branch, stating, "there’s no question the Space Force is going to grow quite a bit compared to the other services."

Any substantial expansion will necessitate congressional approval. Meink expressed optimism regarding the fiscal year 2026 budget deliberations, noting apparent momentum to broaden the scope of Space Force activities. General Saltzman, speaking after Meink, provided critical context on the scale disparity. He pointed out that the Air Force outnumbers the Space Force by more than 30 to one, yet the Space Force is tasked with providing combat capabilities across all domains for nearly every joint force mission globally. The Space Force's approximately 15,000 personnel must integrate effectively within a broader joint force of about 1.3 million service members.

Saltzman further elaborated on the inherent limitations imposed by the service's lean structure, particularly concerning surge capacity. "We can’t afford to waste energy or resources," he stated. "We don’t have the capacity to surge hundreds of guardians to fill capability gaps until a solution arrives." This constraint underscores the imperative for planned growth rather than reactive expansion.

The impetus for this expansion extends beyond merely increasing mission scope; it signifies a fundamental shift in how space systems are operated. Meink emphasized the need for operators skilled in managing increasingly automated satellite constellations. "The old manual ways are not going to cut it," he declared. "We need to automate virtually all aspects of operating and orchestrating satellite constellations."

This drive towards automation is closely aligned with the Department of the Air Force's broader "DAF Battle Network" initiative. This program aims to establish an integrated digital command-and-control architecture, seamlessly linking sensors, decision-making tools, and weapon systems across both the Air Force and Space Force. The overarching objective is to enable the rapid fusion and delivery of data from diverse sources—including satellites, aircraft, ground radars, and cyber systems—to decision-makers, thereby enhancing situational awareness and response times.

On the acquisition front, Secretary Meink articulated a paradigm shift: the department can no longer procure satellites, aircraft, software, and communication systems as disparate, standalone platforms. Future acquisitions must treat these elements as interoperable components within a cohesive digital enterprise. This necessitates evolving contracting methodologies, accelerating software development cycles, and fostering closer alignment between requirements definition, acquisition processes, and operational execution.

Underpinning these strategic plans is the ongoing "Objective Force" study, an internal initiative spearheaded by SWAC. This comprehensive effort is designed to define the envisioned state of the Space Force by the year 2040. General Saltzman characterized the study as an in-depth examination of future operating environments, emerging technological trends, and evolving adversary capabilities. "For the last year, a small team of expert analysts and strategists have been defining our future operating environment for 2040," he said. The analysis involved reviewing open-source and classified intelligence, assessing new mission demands, and constructing scenarios based on technological advancements and threat vectors.

These scenarios were rigorously tested through workshops involving military, industry, commercial space, and allied experts. "By 2040 we expect a strategic shift in space warfighting," Saltzman predicted. He pointed to the increasing integration of artificial intelligence in orbit, the rise of autonomous systems with minimal human intervention, advanced proximity operations, and the emergence of new strategic centers of gravity such as on-orbit servicing, space commerce, and enhanced cyber capabilities.

The Objective Force study has yielded preliminary assessments across critical domains, including space-based navigation warfare, space domain awareness, and satellite communications. Saltzman stressed that the study's scope transcends merely identifying hardware to procure. "It’s a comprehensive accounting of systems, units, personnel, numbers, facilities, all of the support requirements needed and the timelines of when we need them," he explained. Ultimately, the study is intended to provide a strategic roadmap guiding recruitment, training, exercises, readiness initiatives, and budgetary and acquisition priorities for the future Space Force.

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