U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says President Donald Trump’s proposed Space Force is necessary to “meet the emerging threats on this new battlefied.”
“Now the time has come to write the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield … The time has come to establish the United States Space Force,” Pence said in a speech at the Pentagon.
In June, Trump called for the creation of the Space Force, a new military branch that Trump said is needed to ensure U.S. dominance in space.
Defense Secretary James Mattis expressed skepticism last year over the need for a seperate Space Force, citing more bureaucratic bloat and higher costs.
On Thursday, though, Mattis said he supported the creation of a new command that would utilize members of existing military branches.
“We’ve got to be able to compete, deter and win,” Mattis said.
The Pentagon is to submit a report to Congress soon detailing plans to create the Space Force.
Congress is the only branch of government that has the authority to approve the creation of a new military division.