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1 Costs of Creating a Space National Guard 1 (June 2, 2020)

handle is hein.congrec/csocgase0001 and id is 1 raw text is: CotJUNE 2020 Costs of Creating a Space National Guard The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 established the Space Force as a new, independent military service within the Department of the Air Force. Intended to conduct operations that involve space-such as maintaining satellites that are used for communications, observing the weather, and monitoring other countries' missile launches-the Space Force is currently authorized to operate only with regular (active component) personnel. The creation of this new service has led to various pro- posals to establish a Space National Guard, which would supplement the Space Force's active component forces as required. Such proposals have typically focused on existing units within the Air National Guard and Army National Guard that have space-related missions, includ- ing national space functions (such as missile warning and missile defense or space tracking) and deployable mis- sions (primarily involving satellite communications). The Department of Defense (DoD) is studying the issue of whether to create a reserve component for the Space Force, either a Space National Guard or a Space Force Reserve, that would be similar to those of the other services.1 In this report, the Congressional Budget Office examines two options for establishing a Space National Guard that would support the Space Force. In its analysis, CBO focused on a smaller version of a prospective Space National Guard and a larger version, and estimated the 1. Throughout this report, reserve component refers collectively to the nonactive component of the U.S. military, which encompasses the National Guard and reserves. additional costs beyond those incurred for existing units in the Air National Guard and Army National Guard that have space-related missions. Specifically: CBO considered a smaller version of a Space National Guard that is based on a February 2020 proposal by senior National Guard personnel. Under that proposal, 1,500 personnel in existing Air National Guard and Army National Guard units would be transferred to the new Space National Guard. CBO estimates that DoD would incur about $100 million in additional costs annually to operate and support this smaller Space National Guard. Creation of such a force also would probably result in onetime costs of about $20 million for the construction of additional facilities. CBO also considered a larger version of a Space National Guard that would be about one-third the size of the Space Force, the same size that the Air National Guard currently is in relation to the Air Force. (Unlike the first option, this one is not based on a specific public proposal.) Under that approach, the Space National Guard would consist of 4,900 to 5,800 personnel. CBO estimates that DoD would incur $385 million to $490 million in additional costs annually to operate and support this larger Space National Guard. Creation of this larger force also would probably result in onetime costs of $400 million to $900 million for constructing additional facilities and equipping the new units. Notes: Unless otherwise indicated, the years referred to in this report are federal fiscal years, which run from October 1 to September 30 and are designated by the calendar year in which they end. All costs are expressed in 2021 dollars. Costs for years before 2021 have been adjusted for inflation with the gross domestic product price index from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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