Latest news with #ChanceSaltzman
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
US Air Force sounds alarm on China's missile arsenal and 'Kill Web' threat
US Air Force leaders are alarmed by China's growing missile capabilities and its development of a sophisticated "kill web" for targeting US forces. Experts suggest a full-scale invasion of Taiwan is unlikely due to high risks. Instead, China might opt for coercive measures like blockades and political warfare to achieve its objectives, according to a Stimson Center seminar. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Leaders in the US Air Force have expressed worries regarding the missile capabilities of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and its development of a " kill web ," noting that the forthcoming budget request from the US Department of Defense emphasizes enhancing defenses in the Indo-Pacific due to the escalating threat from China, as reported by the Taipei in the US believe that a full-scale invasion by China is both risky and improbable, suggesting that Beijing is more likely to adopt coercive measures such as political warfare or blockades to achieve its objectives. High-ranking officers from the Air Force and the US Space Force, including US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman, participated in a Senate subcommittee hearing to discuss the defence budget for the upcoming Meink and Saltzman remarked that the PLA is making progress in its ballistic missile capabilities . They noted that China possesses over 900 short-range missiles capable of targeting Taiwan, along with 400 land-based missiles that can reach the first island chain. In addition, they highlighted China's arsenal of 1,300 medium-range ballistic missiles that can strike the second island chain, 500 intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can reach parts of Alaska and Australia, and more than 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear payloads globally, according to the Taipei Times expressed his greatest concern regarding China's "kill web," which allows the PLA to monitor US joint forces and operations from significant distances. He mentioned last March that China had already deployed over 470 intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites, which contribute information to a sophisticated sensor-to-shooter kill web. This type of "kill web," which connects sensors directly to strike units, speeds up attack execution through data sharing and automation, facilitating strikes to be carried out within another development, the Stimson Center, a think tank based in Washington, hosted a seminar titled "The Realities of an Invasion of Taiwan," in which senior fellow Dan Grazier, fellow James Siebens, and research associate MacKenna Rawlins examined the strategic, political, economic, and military considerations that China may factor into its invasion plans for from research that included field investigations in Taiwan, Grazier and his team concluded that attempting an amphibious assault on the island would involve significant risks, such as the threat of nuclear escalation , political instability, and economic fallout, with a low likelihood of success. Grazier indicated that the potential risks involved in invading Taiwan far surpass any possible benefits, while Siebens noted that China has various military strategies that could be more viable and simpler to execute, including a blockade, emphasizing that China is pursuing unification through political warfare and coercive tactics, as cited by the Taipei Times report.
Boston Globe
20-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Trump expected to announce ‘Golden Dome' space missile defenses that will cost billions
Golden Dome is envisioned to include ground and space-based capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack: detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up For the last several months, Pentagon planners have been developing options — which a U.S. official described as medium, high and 'extra high' choices, based on their cost — that include space-based interceptors. Advertisement The administration picked the 'high' version, with an initial cost ranging between $30 billion and $100 billion, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail plans that have not been made public. The difference in the three versions is largely based on how many satellites and sensors in space would be purchased, and for the first time, space-based interceptors. Advertisement The White House and the Pentagon didn't immediately respond to requests for seeking comment. The Congressional Budget Office estimated this month that just the space-based components of the Golden Dome could cost as much as $542 billion over the next 20 years. Trump has requested an initial $25 billion for the program in his proposed tax break bill now moving through Congress. The Pentagon has warned for years that the newest missiles developed by China and Russia are so advanced that updated countermeasures are necessary. Golden Dome's added satellites and interceptors — where the bulk of the program's cost is — would be focused on stopping those advanced missiles early on or in the middle of their flight. The space-based weapons envisioned for Golden Dome 'represent new and emerging requirements for missions that have never before been accomplished by military space organizations,' Gen. Chance Saltzman, head of the U.S. Space Force, told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday. China and Russia have put offensive weapons in space, such as satellites with abilities to disable critical U.S. satellites, which can make the U.S. vulnerable to attack. But there's no money for the project yet, and the program overall is 'still in the conceptual stage,' newly confirmed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told senators Tuesday. While the president picked the concept he wanted, the Pentagon is still developing the requirements that Golden Dome will need to meet — which is not the way new systems are normally developed. The Pentagon and U.S. Northern Command are still drafting what is known as an initial capabilities document, the U.S. official said. That is how Northern Command, which is responsible for homeland defense, identifies what it will need the system to do. Advertisement The U.S. already has many missile defense capabilities, such as the Patriot missile batteries that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine to defend against incoming missiles as well as an array of satellites in orbit to detect missile launches. Some of those existing systems will be incorporated into Golden Dome. Trump directed the Pentagon to pursue the space-based interceptors in an executive order during the first week of his presidency.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Space Force, states at odds over National Guard plans
The head of the U.S. Space Force is moving ahead with plans to pull talent from Air National Guard units to help build up the still new military service — but several governors remain opposed and argue it tramples on their rights to retain control over their state units. Overall, the plan would affect only 578 service members across six states and the Air National Guard headquarters and augment the Space Force without creating a separate Space Force National Guard — something the service has said would not be efficient because it would be so small. 'We are actively pursuing where do we want our part-time workforce? What type of work do they do?' the head of Space Force, Gen. Chance Saltzman, said Thursday at a Politico conference in Washington. The Space Force was established by President Donald Trump in late 2019, during his first term. In the years since, the Air Force has transferred its space missions into the now five-year-old military branch — except for the 578 positions still contained in the Air National Guard, which is part of the Air Force. In the 2025 defense bill, Congress mandated that those positions move over to the Space Force as well. The transferred service members would be a part-time force like they are now, just serving under the Space Force instead of their state units. But space missions are some of the most lucrative across the military and private sector and the states that lose space mission service member billets are potentially losing highly valuable part-time workforce members if they have to move away to transfer into the Space Force. Last month, the National Governors Association said the transfers violate their right to retain control over their state units. 'We urge that any transfers cease immediately and that there be direct and open engagement with governors,' the Association said in April. The group was not immediately available to comment on Space Force's plan. 'There's a lot of concern in the National Guard about these individuals who are highly skilled that want to be in the Guard being transferred out,' Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin said at an Air Force manpower hearing this week. The contention between the states and the Space Force has meant the service hasn't so far been able to approach individual members about transferring in. According to the legislation, each National Guard will get the option to either stay with their units — and get retrained in another specialty — or join the Space Force. Even if they do transfer into the Space Force, their positions would remain located in those same states for at least the next 10 years, according to the 2025 legislation. The affected personnel include 33 from Alaska, 126 from California, 119 from Colorado, 75 from Florida, 130 from Hawaii, 69 from Ohio and 26 from Air National Guard headquarters.
15-05-2025
- Politics
Space Force, governors at odds over plans to pull talent from National Guard units
WASHINGTON -- The head of the U.S. Space Force is moving ahead with plans to pull talent from Air National Guard units to help build up the still new military service — but several governors remain opposed and argue it tramples on their rights to retain control over their state units. Overall, the plan would affect only 578 service members across six states and the Air National Guard headquarters and augment the Space Force without creating a separate Space Force National Guard — something the service has said would not be efficient because it would be so small. 'We are actively pursuing where do we want our part-time workforce? What type of work do they do?' the head of Space Force, Gen. Chance Saltzman, said Thursday at a POLITICO conference. The transferred service members would be a part-time force like they are now, just serving under the Space Force instead of their state units. But space missions are some of the most lucrative across the military and private sector and the states that lose space mission service member billets are potentially losing highly valuable part-time workforce members if they have to move away to transfer in to the Space Force. Last month, the National Governors Association said the transfers violate their right to retain control over their state units. 'We urge that any transfers cease immediately and that there be direct and open engagement with governors,' the Association said in April. The group was not immediately available to comment on Space Force's plan. 'There's a lot of concern in the National Guard about these individuals who are highly skilled that want to be in the Guard being transferred out,' Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin said at an Air Force manpower hearing this week. Congress directed the transfers in its 2025 defense bill. But the contention between the states and the Space Force has meant the service hasn't so far been able to approach individual members about transferring in. According to the legislation, each National Guard will get the option to either stay with their units — and get re-trained in another specialty — or join the Space Force. Those who do transfer would be allowed to remain in their home state to perform their mission for at least the next 10 years, according to the 2025 legislation. The affected personnel include 33 from Alaska, 126 from California, 119 from Colorado, 75 from Florida, 130 from Hawaii, 69 from Ohio and 26 from Air National Guard headquarters
Los Angeles Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Space Force, governors at odds over plans to pull talent from National Guard units
WASHINGTON — The head of the U.S. Space Force is moving ahead with plans to pull talent from Air National Guard units to help build up the still new-military service — but several governors remain opposed and argue it tramples on their rights to retain control over their state units. Overall, the plan would affect only 578 service members across six states and the Air National Guard headquarters and augment the Space Force without creating a separate Space Force National Guard — something the service has said would not be efficient because it would be so small. 'We are actively pursuing where do we want our part-time workforce? What type of work do they do?' the head of Space Force, Gen. Chance Saltzman, said Thursday at a Politico conference. The transferred service members would be a part-time force like they are now, just serving under the Space Force instead of their state units. But space missions are some of the most lucrative across the military and private sectors, and the states that lose space mission service member billets are potentially losing highly valuable part-time workforce members if they have to move away to transfer to the Space Force. Last month, the National Governors Assn. said the transfers violate their right to retain control over their state units. 'We urge that any transfers cease immediately and that there be direct and open engagement with governors,' the association said in April. The group was not immediately available to comment on Space Force's plan. 'There's a lot of concern in the National Guard about these individuals who are highly skilled that want to be in the Guard being transferred out,' Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin said at an Air Force manpower hearing this week. Congress directed the transfers in its 2025 defense bill. But the contention between the states and the Space Force has meant the service hasn't so far been able to approach individual members about transferring in. According to the legislation, each National Guard will get the option to either stay with their units — and get retrained in another specialty — or join the Space Force. Those who do transfer would be allowed to remain in their home state to perform their mission for at least the next 10 years, according to the 2025 legislation. The affected personnel include 33 from Alaska, 126 from California, 119 from Colorado, 75 from Florida, 130 from Hawaii, 69 from Ohio and 26 from Air National Guard headquarters Copp writes for the Associated Press.
