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It has been written that US Space Force was built to make the US Air Force powerless. While some sources attribute the creation of US Space Force to handling of Cuban Crisis, when the reckless attitude of USAF generals irritated the Kennedy brothers, it was also a nod to the futuristic look of early 1960's. Also, creation of US Space Force ensured the USAF would be fully concentrated on various limited war tasks instead of solely focusing on general, ie. nuclear, war like it had in 1950's. But it was not only McNamara's folly, but rather a honest effort to grasp the significance of new technologies of hydrogen bombs, satellites and intercontinental missiles without traditional military mindset which might well lead into a global nuclear holocaust.

The US Space Force was formed around core of various US military space programs and most significantly, the newly constructed ICBM capabilities built by USAF. In an effort to make the force truly independent and not a subsidiary of US Air Force, it was recruited from all traditional branches of US military. In a nod for science fiction tradition, the rank structure was adopted from the US Navy.

President Kennedy inaugurated the new Force in 1964. Like all branches of the military, it immediately began lobbying for more resources and it was the favourite of both President Kennedy and SecDef McNamara. The influential STRAT-X -study mapped the development of US strategic capabilities for the rest of the Cold War and it might be said that it was rigged in USSF's favour. The final implementation, however, did bring significant advantages for USN too.

The initial goal of USSF was to lobby for an Outer Space Treaty which would allow basing nuclear weapons in space. This goal was abandoned by US adminstration, however. What USSF did get was a primary position in US strategic deterrence using dual systems of "Golden Arrow" BGM-175 ICBM's situated in superhardened rock silos and MGM-134 Midgetman mobile single-warhead ballistic missiles. Both of these systems would ultimately enter service in early 1980's, touted as achievements of President Reagan.

The US Navy's Polaris program was heavily criticized in the report for the heavy cost, low accuracy and low reliability of the missiles. Thus a major decision was made not to develop a successor SLBM system, instead a distributed "cruise missile" system was to be developed to ensure second strike capabilities. These cruise missiles would be deployed on board attack submarines of the future "Los Angeles" class and also on board future cruisers and destroyers. Finally, during 1980's, these would also be deployed from land bases in NATO countries. These "Hurlbat" missiles had range of some 3500km's.

The decision was loathed upon by USN but really proved to be a blessing in disguise in post-Cold war era when USN did not have to spend a large number of resources on SSBN's.

The USAF was to abandon it's heavy bombers but the US Air Force managed to secure use for it's B-52 bombers with their modification.

STRAT-X also secured funding for MOL manned orbital surveillance station and a lot of less visible satellite systems.

While McNamara was no fan of ABM systems, the incoming Republican Rockefeller adminstration was more favourable toward it's development. Ultimately, though, the coming detente and various treaties with with Soviet Union as well as budgetary reasons made the "Safeguard" program very limited, protecting just two missile fields in Colorado and Wyoming.

Rockefeller adminstration also granted funding for new joint NASA/USSF space transport system, "The Space Shuttle", which in retrospect has been thought as a failure. The six shuttles procured, three for NASA and three for USSF, ultimately could not achieve the planned operational rate and two were lost in accidents. The decision to cut MOL lead into cartoons on USSF being a space navy without any spacemen. The Space Shuttle program led into early retirement of Titan and Minutemen systems as the USSF could not fund both.

The renewed Cold War in 1980's under Carter and Reagan adminstrations was perhaps the heyday of USSF. Golden Arrow, Midgetman and Safeguard were all operational and highly visible. It was also the most dangerous phase of the Cold War, as USSF brought it's ASAT capabilities visibly into public which made USSR counterreact.

Thus, when Reagan and Gorbachev signed the treaty on peaceful use of outer space in 1988 this was seen as a sign of Cold War finally coming to an end.

End of the Cold War brought heavy lobbying from other branches as well as many peace activists to dismantle USSF, but the force survived although it's capabilites were rather just kept online rather than renewed. Now, with coming ascent of China and new commercial space renaissance the USSF seems to have found a new meaning.
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