US Space Force Commander General John Raymond has expressed concern that the US is losing supremacy over other countries in the space sector.

“We manage critical space potential, and we need to be able to protect it. Now I am calm, we have the protective and defense potential, but I am more concerned about our ability to act promptly and forestall the threat. Obviously, other countries are catching up with us, ”Raymond said during a videoconference organized by the Mitchell Institute.

John Raymond also said that he will send a report to the US Congress with proposals for changing the financing and procurement of space systems. The recommendations contained in the document should help the US Space Forces "advance rapidly" in the development of new space systems and their adoption into service, the American military commander added.

Raymond also emphasized that today the role of space as a theater of operations is becoming apparent. According to him, the increase in the US defense budget in the field of space exploration over the past few years reflects this trend.

At the same time, he emphasized that his main task is to manage the US Space Forces as a compact and flexible structure as part of the US Armed Forces.

“We will never catch up with the Ground Forces or Navy in size. Our type of troops was organized as a high-tech, and we intend to follow exactly this in everything, ”Raymond explained.

He noted that new proposals for the procurement and organization of the Space Forces will be reflected in the budget of the department for the fiscal year 2022. Raymond noted that this, in essence, will be the agency’s first budget, since in 2021 the financing plan was to transfer accounts and programs from the US Air Force to a new type of troops.

Recall that in the draft defense budget for fiscal year 2021, the U.S. Space Forces are invited to allocate $ 15.4 billion.

Financial motive

Military expert Yuri Knutov in an interview with RT noted that, as a rule, such military statements are made by American military leaders to justify an increase in the military budget, for which the US Congress should vote.

“The recently created Trump Space Forces needs an increase in the budget, and justifications are needed for this. Previously, this area was financed from funds allocated to the US Air Force. But after this new structure has become independent, additional resources are being requested from the Pentagon, and the Pentagon, in turn, from Congress, ”the expert added.

It is worth noting that the United States traditionally singles out Russia and China as the main rivals in the space sector. So, in February 2019, this position was enshrined in a report by the Pentagon intelligence agency. It indicated that Moscow and Beijing "challenge" Washington and have space forces with great potential, including satellite reconnaissance.

“The role of countries catching up with the United States refers to Russia and China, which is actively developing anti-satellite weapons and missiles capable of intercepting satellites. Moscow already has the S-500 and A-235 Nudol, and it is able to shoot down satellites in low orbits. This worries Washington, ”said Yuri Knutov.

Military analyst Dmitry Litovkin believes that Raymond’s words are designed to guarantee the department approval of the new procurement system and, in the future, an increase in the budget.

“This statement is needed to get additional funds to the budget. Therefore, the general says that the United States is losing leadership in this area, supposedly they need to prepare to repel some kind of threat in space. But no one, neither Moscow nor Beijing, is going to attack them, no one is launching weapons into space. Today, only the US is trying to militarize space, even the moon has already been designated as its territory, ”he stressed.

Army for space

Recall that the new, sixth type of the US Armed Forces - the Space Forces (USSF) was created in December 2019.

The 45th president of the United States planned to create new troops back in 2018 and make them completely independent, but he could not put this idea into practice until 2019.

  • Donald Trump approves 2020 defense budget creating US Space Forces
  • © US Air Force

U.S. space forces are under the jurisdiction of the civilian minister of the Air Force and have a status similar to that of the U.S. Marine Corps, which is also a separate type of armed forces and has its own commander in the status of chief of staff, while reporting to the Department of the Navy.

In August 2019, the new SPACECOM Combat Space Command was created. It was the first combat command created in the United States since 2009. It included 87 units involved in missile warning, satellite operations, as well as space monitoring and support. The functions of the head of command are performed by John Raymond.

March 26, a new type of US military conducted its first operation. AEHF military communications satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral.

Six satellites of this program provide a secure and interference-resistant connection between representatives of the American command and deployed military units and units. The satellite was put into orbit using the Atlas V rocket of the United Launch Alliance.

In addition, in March, the Space Forces unit at Peterson Air Force Base received its first offensive weaponry, the Counter Communications System Block 10.2 jammer. With it, you can suppress military communications and geolocation satellites.

The United States is currently modernizing its space monitoring system, in which the troops created by Trump are also participating, Yuri Knutov said in a conversation with RT. To expand the ability to purchase new military satellites, the US Space Forces need to attract new funds from the defense budget.

“We are talking about the deployment in space of a high-precision communications system that will allow American troops from anywhere in the world to instantly contact the Pentagon command. In addition, espionage tools have been strengthened. Today, the United States began an arms race in outer space, they intend to speak with the whole world from a position of strength, forgetting about international law, which demonstrates the creation of the Space Forces, ”the expert explained.

The militarization of space

Experts note that the United States has long been pursuing an active policy on the militarization of outer space. According to Viktor Litovkin, Washington wants to use outer space as another tool to impose its conditions and policies on the world.

“I do not exclude the possibility that the theater of operations will move into space due to US actions. Russia is ready for this, it already has anti-satellite weapons. But Moscow is trying to prevent such a scenario, ”said Litovkin.

Over the past few years, Russia has repeatedly warned the United States against transforming space into a militarized zone and theater of operations. In December 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted, by a majority vote, the three resolutions proposed by Russia on disarmament in space.

On February 25, speaking at a conference on disarmament, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow was calling on Western countries to work out measures that would prevent such a scenario.

  • US Atlas V rocket launch from Cape Canaveral in the USA
  • Reuters
  • © Joe Skipper

He emphasized that the plans of the United States, France and NATO as a whole for the launch of weapons into space are becoming more and more real.

“We are convinced that it’s not too late to work out universally acceptable measures that can prevent a military confrontation in outer space,” RIA Novosti quoted Lavrov as saying.

The head of Russian diplomacy added that the only constructive proposal in this area is the draft treaty prepared by Moscow and Beijing on preventing the placement of weapons in outer space, the use of force or the threat of force against space objects.

Recall that Russia unilaterally committed itself to not be the first to place weapons in space back in 2004. Among the major space powers, with the exception of China, there is not a single country that would support the initiative of Russia.

In an interview with RT, Yuri Knutov recalled that the United States began to actively militarize outer space during the administration of President Ronald Reagan.

“The Reagan Star Wars program designed to house weapons in space has never been canceled by Washington. Now that the necessary technologies are emerging, plans from this program are beginning to be financed and implemented, ”the expert emphasized.

The US wants to dominate space and use it to control other states, Yuri Knutov added.

“In 5-7 years, the United States may have hypersonic weapons, after which they will be able to start implementing a strategy for a quick global strike, where space is an essential element. The theater of war will move into space. Russia is already actively preparing for such a development of events, ”the expert concluded.