The United States on Friday launched its Space Force as the newest branch of the country's military amid the growing space capabilities of rivals such as China and Russia.
"Space is the world's newest warfighting domain. Amid grave threats to our national security, American superiority in space is absolutely vital," President Donald Trump said as he signed a defense policy bill that authorized the establishment of a new military branch for the first time in more than 70 years.
The Space Force, which will be comprised of about 16,000 Air Force active-duty and civilian personnel, is tasked with protecting U.S. interests and deterring aggression in space, according to the National Defense Authorization Act for the current fiscal year through September.
[Getty/Kyodo]
The National Defense Authorization Act earmarks $738 billion in military spending in fiscal 2020.
The move comes as the country sees the U.S. military advantage in space challenged as nations such as China and Russia pursue capabilities to target U.S. space systems, according to a congressional research report.
Major countries operate various satellites for reconnaissance activities and to navigate aircraft and ships and detect the launches of ballistic missiles.
To develop capabilities to achieve military superiority, China conducted a test to destroy one of its aging satellites with a ground-launched missile in 2007. Russia has launched its Aerospace Forces and is developing anti-satellite weapons.
"We're leading, but we're not leading by enough but very shortly we'll be leading by a lot. The Space Force will help us deter aggression and control the ultimate high ground," Trump said at the signing ceremony at the Joint Base Andrews near Washington.
The Space Force is the sixth military branch, taking its place alongside the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and the Coast Guard. The last time a new service branch was created in the United States was when the Air Force was launched in 1947.
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