Space Force wants significant budget increase

In a recent address at the Air and Space Forces Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, General B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations for the US Space Force, emphasized the urgent need for a substantial budget increase to meet the expanding demands of space defense, as reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine. General Saltzman stated the current budget trajectory, with modest annual increases, is insufficient to develop new capabilities and counter advancements by adversaries such as China and Russia. He asserted that a "step function shift" in funding is necessary to effectively protect US assets and maintain strategic superiority in space.

The Biden administration's fiscal 2024 budget request for the Space Force was approximately $30 billion. However, Congress approved a slightly reduced amount, and the fiscal 2025 request further decreased to $29.4 billion—the first proposed budget cut in the service's five-year history. This reduction has raised concerns about the Space Force's ability to fulfill its growing mission profile.

General Saltzman said merely keeping pace with inflation through 3 to 4 percent increases does not facilitate the acquisition of new capabilities. He stressed that new missions necessitate additional resources, advocating for a near-term increase of $10 billion to adequately fund the Space Force's objectives.

DOD is currently undergoing a budget realignment for fiscal 2026, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directing an 8 percent internal reallocation across all branches. General Saltzman expressed optimism that the Space Force would benefit from this reallocation, citing Secretary Hegseth's recognition of space as "the next and the most important domain of warfare" and his commitment to increased investment in both offensive and defensive space capabilities