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Pence unveils plans to build U.S. Space Force
Why it is in news?
- U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence on Thursday unveiled details of plans to build a U.S. Space Force that would become the sixth branch of America’s massive military, saying the “time has come” to prepare for “the next battlefield.”
More in news
- President Donald Trump had ordered the creation of the Space Force in June, arguing the Pentagon needs it to tackle vulnerabilities in space and assert U.S. dominance in orbit.
- It is not a done deal, as it needs to be approved by Congress, and the concept has met with some skepticism from lawmakers and defence officials, who are wary of the cost and added bureaucracy.
- Mr. Pence said an independent Space Force was essential to counter Russia and China, which are “aggressively” working toward anti-satellite capabilities.
- Mr. Trump’s call for Congress to invest an additional $8 billion in U.S. space security systems over the next five years.
Source
The Hindu