They can feel the force

U.S. plans ‘next battlefield’

WASHINGTON — Faced with growing competition and threats from Russia and China, the White House on Thursday said it will create the U.S. Space Force as a sixth, separate military service by 2020.

Vice-President Mike Pence told a Pentagon audience the plan fulfills President Donald Trump’s vow to ensure America’s dominance in space — a domain that was once peace- ful and uncontested that has now become crowded and adversarial.

“Now the time has come to write the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield where America’s best and bravest will be called to deter and defeat a new generation of threats to our people, to our nation,” said Pence. “The time has come to establish the United States Space Force.”

Trump marked Pence’s announcement with a tweet: “Space Force all the way!”

Trump has called for a “separate but equal” space force, a complicated and expensive move that requires congressional approval. On Thursday, Pence said that the administration will work with Congress on the plan, and will outline a budget next year.

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has endorsed steps to reorganize the military’s space warfighting forces and create a new command, but has previously opposed launching a pricey, new service.

The Pentagon’s role in space has been under scrutiny because of a recognition that the United States is increasingly reliant on satellites that are difficult to protect in space. Satellites provide communications, navigation, intelligence and other services vital to the military and the economy.