U.S. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) plays a significant role in the space industry, historically serving as the Department of Defense's executive agent for space, and developing early military space programs and launch vehicles. Although the U.S. Space Force was established as an independent branch in 2019, the Air Force continues to contribute to space operations, including training personnel, research and development, and maintaining partnerships. The USAF's space-related activities encompass satellite operations, missile warning, communication support, and collaboration with allies to ensure regional stability. Key partners include the U.S. Space Force, other branches of the military, and international allies.

gov defenseFounded 1947

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

www.af.mil/

Admin Edit

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

Ralph Stoffler is the Air Force director of weather and oversees a $320,000,000 per year Air Force weather program.

GovernanceFinancialValue 4.0Apr 26, 2018New concerns about U.S. Central Command’s access to weather satellite data

The Air Force weather program overseen by Ralph Stoffler employs a workforce of 4,300 personnel supporting both the Air Force and the Army globally.

CapabilityGrowthValue 3.0Apr 26, 2018New concerns about U.S. Central Command’s access to weather satellite data

The U.S. Air Force requested $63,700,000 in its FY-19 budget for a weather space vehicle relay ground station to utilize residual GOES capability for cloud characterization and theater weather imagery over the Indian Ocean region.

FinancialCapabilityGeneralLegalValue 4.0Apr 26, 2018New concerns about U.S. Central Command’s access to weather satellite data

OCX software will be delivered in blocks that each provide upgrades as they become available, and the Air Force accepted OCX Block 0 in October 2017.

PlanValue 4.5Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

The Air Force awarded a development and production contract for the first Space Fence radar site in June 2014 to Lockheed Martin.

RelationshipsPlanCapabilityValue 4.5Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

Lockheed Martin delivered the first GPS III satellite to the Air Force for storage in February 2017, and the Air Force declared the satellite available for launch in September 2017 after an investigation into the satellite’s propulsion subsystem.

RelationshipsPlanCapabilityValue 4.0Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

The Air Force awarded agreements in early 2016 for rocket propulsion system development to support replacement of the RD-180-powered Atlas 5.

RelationshipsPlanCapabilityValue 4.0Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

The FY-19 bill requests a briefing from the secretary of the Air Force on the criteria and sufficiency of test data the Air Force will use to make final launch service agreement awards by the end of fiscal year 2019.

LegalPlanValue 2.2Apr 25, 2018Rogers, Cooper to continue push for military space reforms in FY-19 NDAA

The Air Force plans to award contracts in 2019 to two launch providers for a combined total of approximately 25 launches to occur from 2022 through 2026.

PlanRelationshipsValue 4.0Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

Air Force officials are in discussions with Australian officials to support a survey of a proposed Space Fence Increment 2 site, but the Air Force has not formally committed to Increment 2.

PlanValue 2.6Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

The Air Force plans to select three potential Expendable Evolved Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch providers in the summer of 2018 and to make a final award for launch service procurement contracts by the end of fiscal year 2019.

PlanValue 4.0Apr 25, 2018Rogers, Cooper to continue push for military space reforms in FY-19 NDAA

The FY-19 bill requests a briefing from the secretary of the Air Force that includes criteria and incentives the Air Force will use to ensure selected contractors maintain schedule and fidelity consistent with their contract bids.

LegalGeneralValue 3.0Apr 25, 2018Rogers, Cooper to continue push for military space reforms in FY-19 NDAA

Congress directed the Air Force to replace United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket, which uses the Russian RD-180 engine, with a domestic propulsion alternative.

LegalRelationshipsValue 4.0Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

The FY-19 bill directs the secretary of the Air Force to establish a new numbered Air Force dedicated to space warfighting.

LegalPlanValue 3.0Apr 25, 2018Rogers, Cooper to continue push for military space reforms in FY-19 NDAA

The planned launch of the first GPS III satellite shifted from March 2018 to late 2018 because the Air Force decided to launch the satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 instead of a ULA Delta IV rocket.

PlanRelationshipsValue 4.5Apr 25, 2018Congressional auditors raise red flags on EELV costs, national security launch industrial base

The FY-19 bill commends the Air Force for funding a new program for affordable, flexible launch services for small payloads to low Earth orbit through geostationary transfer orbit.

FinancialPlanLegalValue 2.0Apr 25, 2018Rogers, Cooper to continue push for military space reforms in FY-19 NDAA

On 2017-12-06 in Carlsbad, California, the U.S. Air Force and Viasat completed the production readiness review for the Mini Crypto program.

PlanCapabilityValue 3.5Dec 5, 2017U.S. Air Force, Viasat Prepare to Deploy Small Form Factor Cryptographic High Value Product for Encrypted Communications

GomSpace will assist the Colombian Air Force in creating a nanosatellite integration laboratory and operations centre at the air force base in Cali.

RelationshipsCapabilityPlanValue 4.0Dec 1, 2017The Colombian Air Force orders its second advanced Nanosatellite platform from GomSpace

ViaSat Inc. was awarded Lot 5 and Lot 5a contracts totaling $88,300,000 from the U.S. Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) to provide MIDS JTRS terminals to the U.S. Navy and Air Force.

RelationshipsFinancialValue 5.0Jun 25, 2017ViaSat Tripling MIDS JTRS Production Capabilities for U.S. Airborne Forces

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