Air Force Gen. John Raymond, the administration’s nominee to lead the proposed space force, enjoyed a smooth Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday but warned lawmakers there would be substantial challenges ahead in forming the new command, The Hill reported.
During his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, Raymond, currently chief of the Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., offered few details on how DOD would create the new space command. He did pledge to lawmakers careful coordination of resources to streamline the nation’s space defense capabilities.
“If confirmed, my first priority will be to ensure the seamless transition of the command and control of critical space capabilities that the nation and the joint force depend on each-and-every day,” Raymond wrote in responses to earlier questions from lawmakers, which were released during his confirmation hearing.
The Air Force’s fiscal 2020 budget requested $84 million in funding to start the command, and in his written responses Raymond said it will require an initial group of about 642 personnel from commands across the military.
Air Force photo by Andy Morataya
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