The Defense Department is moving forward on several efforts to improve its acquisition structure when it comes to space, but has not yet defined how much it would cost to execute any of the efforts meant to move toward a new Space Force as envisioned by President Trump, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.

In a rare on-camera briefing at the Pentagon, Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford said the department is currently in the process of standing up a sub-unified command for space under U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), which was provided for in the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law Aug. 13 (Defense Daily, Aug. 13).

Defense Sec. Jim Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford brief media at the Pentagon Aug. 28. Photo: C-SPAN
Defense Sec. Jim Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford brief media at the Pentagon Aug. 28. Photo: C-SPAN

Although no dollar figures were provided, a new sub-unified command “will not be that expensive,” Mattis said, “because we will build out on what we have right now.” He did not elaborate on which areas of the U.S. military’s current space architecture would be included in that effort.

He declined to provide a cost estimate for developing a sixth military branch dedicated to space, which is supported by the Trump administration. Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has previously told reporters it could cost “billions” of dollars.

“We have not done the costing estimates for that. … We have already commenced the effort, but I don’t want to give you an off-the-cuff number,” he added.

This effort is “in line with the president’s vision for a needed Space Force, while revising our vision for defending our assets in space and revising antiquated space acquisition processes,” Mattis said. Lawmakers must approve and appropriate funds to stand up a sixth military branch dedicated to space. The Pentagon recently released a report to Congress laying out initiatives it can pursue ahead of any legislative decision by Congress. (Defense Daily, Aug. 9)

The sub-unified space command is expected to be complete by the end of the calendar year, but “we are still months away from standing up that command,” Dunford said, adding, “As recently as yesterday, I met with key leaders in the department to work through the details of that.”

Dunford declined to provide a cost estimate for the sub-unified command build-up, noting, “We’ll certainly share that with you when it’s available.”

Mattis noted in his opening remarks that the Defense Department has recognized both outer space and cyberspace as warfighting domains, as a result of “the action of others.” U.S. Cyber Command was elevated in May 2018 to full combatant command status after years as part of STRATCOM.