{"id":27343,"date":"2019-05-15T19:50:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T19:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2019\/05\/15\/independent-estimate-claims-space-force-could-cost-up-to-47-billion-in-start-up-costs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:26:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:26:58","slug":"independent-estimate-claims-space-force-could-cost-up-to-47-billion-in-start-up-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/it-networks\/defense-budget\/2019\/05\/15\/independent-estimate-claims-space-force-could-cost-up-to-47-billion-in-start-up-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Independent estimate claims Space Force could cost up to $4.7B in start up costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Defense is pushing back against an independent estimate claiming that it could cost up to $4.7 billion in one-time costs to establish a Space Force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As proposed by the Trump Administration, the Space Force would be a separate military service located within the Air Force that would take over many of the various space-related functions of the other services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A My 8 report from the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Trump Administration\u2019s Space Force proposal would be priced anywhere from $1.8 billion to $4.7 billion in one-time start up costs. That\u2019s significantly more than the $2 billion the administration says it will cost<\/a> to launch Space Force over the next five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CBO is a federal agency that provides independent budget and economic information for Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Department of Defense has pushed back on the CBO\u2019s figures, as first reported by Space News. In a statement provided to C4ISRNET, Department of Defense spokesman Tom Crosson said the CBO estimates were not based on the department\u2019s specific proposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe CBO estimates are based on different assumptions than the DoD\u2019s legislative proposal. The CBO did not consult with DoD or evaluate the DoD Space Force proposal. The Department proposed a lean organizational structure for the Space Force that avoids significant bureaucratic growth by leveraging existing Air Force capabilities,” Crosson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a May 14 hearing of the House Commerce committee\u2019s aviation and space subcommittee, Air Force Space Command Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson made similar arguments about how Space Force would be able to take advantage of Air Force infrastructure to remain efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpace Force is (…) efficient because it also capitalizes on the support and infrastructure and other capabilities the Air Force already has,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cI think that the proposal that was put forward by the Department of Defense is the best course going forward for the department and the nation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One explanation for the disparity between the administration\u2019s estimates and the CBO\u2019s is the lack of public details available about what the Space Force would actually look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\t