US Air Force transfers space units to US Space Force

The US Air Force (USAF) has identified 23 units and their respective space missions for a formal transfer to the US Space Force (USSF), the USAF announced on 31 March.

The transfer will take place within the next three to six months, depending upon the timing and conditions specific to each organization and their respective mission sets. The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General David Goldfein, and the Chief of Space Operations, General John Raymond, will execute the transfer when they jointly agree the necessary conditions have been met.

The Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-6) satellite mission launched on 26 March was the first mission performed under the USSF. Previous missions were performed by the USAF. (United Launch Alliance)

These mission transfers are in line with the Space Policy Directive, which calls for the USSF to consolidate existing forces and authorities for military space activities, as appropriate, in order to minimise duplication of effort and eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies.

The following units and organisations have been identified for full mission transfer:

17th Test Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado; 18th Intel Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; 25th Space Range Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colorado; 328th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada; 527th Space Aggressor Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colorado; 705th Combat Training Squadron OL-A, Schriever AFB, Colorado; 544th ISR Group Staff & Detachment 5, Peterson AFB, Colorado; Detachment 1, USAF Warfare Center, Schriever AFB, Colorado; 533rd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, California; National Security Space Institute, Peterson AFB, Colorado; Counter-Space Analysis Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Space Analysis Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 4, Peterson AFB, Colorado; and Air Force Safety Center - Space Safety Division, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico