Space Command HQ delayed another six months in defense policy bill

WASHINGTON — U.S. Space Command could face another six-month delay to establishing a permanent headquarters, according to the latest version of the fiscal 2024 defense policy bill.

A provision in the bill would prevent the command, which is responsible for military operations in space, from funding projects to construct a headquarters until two watchdog agencies complete reports evaluating the decision this summer to base the organization in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Those reports, from the Defense Department inspector general and the U.S. comptroller, are due in June 2024.

House and Senate lawmakers are expected to vote on the compromise bill, released Dec. 6, in the coming weeks.

If adopted, the provision and the associated delay would continue what has been a four-year effort to identify a home for Space Command. Despite basing decisions from former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden and a series of watchdog reviews, the organization has been temporarily headquartered in Colorado since it was re-established in 2019.

The basing decision has largely centered on two sites: Huntsville, Ala., and Colorado Springs. As he was leaving office in 2021, Trump announced Huntsville as his choice to host the command’s headquarters — a decision met with immediate pushback from Colorado lawmakers, who called the Air Force-led process “fundamentally flawed.”

Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., requested a Government Accountability Office review of the decision and a DoD inspector general investigation. Both agencies concluded in 2022 that while the basing process lacked transparency and credibility , the Air Force followed the law when choosing Huntsville.

The Pentagon, in the midst of those watchdog reviews, initiated a new selection process. Despite the conclusions from GAO and the inspector general’s office, the Biden administration announced July 31 that Space Command would remain in Colorado Springs, reversing Trump’s decision.

In turn, House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, a Republican from Alabama, used his influence to quickly launch a congressional investigation . He threatened to subpoena DoD officials for documentation of the Air Force’s selection process and called for additional reviews from GAO and the inspector general.

As the debate continues over where Space Command’s headquarters will land, DoD officials have said they’re concerned about the organization’s “operational readiness” the longer it operates in a provisional state.

In a Sept. 28 House Armed Services Committee hearing, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said that while he viewed Huntsville as the most affordable option, Colorado Springs presented the lowest operational risk.

“The decision came down to a judgment about the operational risk associated with relocating versus the reduced cost of the leading alternative of Huntsville,” Kendall said. “I fully support the president’s judgment in this matter, given the intensifying threat. And with a final decision now . . . we are prepared to move forward with the implementation of this basing decision.”

Gen. James Dickinson, head of Space Command, said during the hearing that moving the headquarters to Huntsville would deal a significant blow to its civilian personnel, who currently make up 60% of its workforce. He said the command estimates 88% of those civilians would opt not to transfer to the new location.

Courtney Albon is C4ISRNET’s space and emerging technology reporter. She has covered the U.S. military since 2012, with a focus on the Air Force and Space Force. She has reported on some of the Defense Department’s most significant acquisition, budget and policy challenges.

华盛顿——根据 2024 财年国防政策法案的最新版本，美国太空司令部建立永久总部可能面临再次推迟六个月。

该法案中的一项条款将阻止负责太空军事行动的指挥部为建造总部项目提供资金，直到两个监督机构完成对今年夏天将该组织设在科罗拉多州科罗拉多斯普林斯的决定进行评估的报告。

国防部监察长和美国审计长分别提交的这些报告将于 2024 年 6 月提交。

预计众议院和参议院议员将在未来几周内对12月6日公布的妥协法案进行投票表决。

如果该条款获得通过，由此产生的延误将使太空司令部选址的进程再延长四年。尽管前总统唐纳德·特朗普和乔·拜登都曾做出过类似的决定，并且经过了一系列监督机构的审查，但自2019年重建以来，该机构的临时总部一直设在科罗拉多州。

基地选址的决定主要集中在两个地点：阿拉巴马州亨茨维尔和科罗拉多州科罗拉多斯普林斯。2021年特朗普卸任时，他宣布亨茨维尔是他选择的司令部所在地——这一决定立即遭到科罗拉多州议员的反对，他们称空军主导的选址过程“存在根本性缺陷”。

科罗拉多州共和党众议员道格·兰伯恩要求美国政府问责局对该决定进行审查，并要求国防部监察长进行调查。这两个机构在2022年得出结论，虽然基地选址过程缺乏透明度和公信力，但空军在选择亨茨维尔时遵守了法律。

在这些监督机构审查期间，五角大楼启动了新的遴选程序。尽管美国政府问责局（GAO）和监察长办公室都提出了审查结论，拜登政府还是在7月31日宣布太空司令部将继续留在科罗拉多斯普林斯，推翻了特朗普的决定。

随后，众议院军事委员会主席、来自阿拉巴马州的共和党议员迈克·罗杰斯利用其影响力迅速启动了国会调查。他威胁要传唤国防部官员，要求提供空军遴选过程的文件，并呼吁美国政府问责局和监察长进行进一步审查。

关于太空司令部总部选址的争论仍在继续，国防部官员表示，他们担心该机构在临时状态下运作的时间越长，其“作战准备”就越成问题。

在 9 月 28 日众议院军事委员会的听证会上，空军部长弗兰克·肯德尔表示，虽然他认为亨茨维尔是最经济实惠的选择，但科罗拉多斯普林斯的运营风险最低。

肯德尔说：“最终的决定取决于对搬迁带来的运营风险与亨茨维尔这一主要替代方案成本降低之间的权衡。鉴于威胁日益加剧，我完全支持总统在此事上的判断。既然最终决定已经做出……我们已准备好推进这项基地选址决定的实施。”

太空司令部司令詹姆斯·迪金森将军在听证会上表示，将总部迁至亨茨维尔将对占其员工总数60%的文职人员造成重大打击。他表示，司令部估计其中88%的文职人员会选择不调往新址。

Courtney Albon是C4ISRNET的太空和新兴技术记者。自2012年以来，她一直报道美国军方新闻，重点关注空军和太空军。她曾报道过国防部一些最重要的采购、预算和政策挑战。