Spy Sat Costs Are 'Unsustainable,' Warns Space Commander; BTW, Don't Cut Space, Cyber

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http://defense.aol.com/2012/11/07/spy-sat-costs-are-unsustainable-warns-space-commander-btw-d/




Spy Sat Costs Are 'Unsustainable,' Warns Space Commander; BTW, Don't Cut Space, Cyber
By Otto Kreisher
Published: November 7, 2012

WASHINGTON: The head of Air Force Space Command worries that tightening defense budgets and looming force structure cuts could reduce his critical space and cyber capabilities.

"Because these capabilities are so vital, and the need to maintain local and global capabilities, space and cyber capability doesn't really scale well with force structure reductions," Air Force Gen. William Shelton said Wednesday. "You either maintain global coverage or you don't."

Space Command must maintain force structure "in this fiscally constrained environment," he said. The budget "is always at risk," he said, particularly "at times like this, when there are a lot of people out there with their budget knives out." But, he added, "this is kind of a one or zero game. You either provide the kind of coverage needed to have full capability, or you don't."

At the same time, Shelton warned that producing national security satellites and the costs of launching them are "unsustainable." That limits America's abilities to replace them and increases our vulnerability should any be lost to either hostile acts or to accidents.

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