{"id":339839,"date":"2025-10-29T03:41:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T03:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/339839\/"},"modified":"2025-10-29T03:41:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T03:41:11","slug":"trump-nominee-closer-space-force-nro-integration-worth-considering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/339839\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump nominee: Closer Space Force-NRO integration \u2018worth considering\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON \u2014 Marc Berkowitz, a veteran space policy strategist nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as assistant secretary of defense for space policy, told lawmakers Oct. 28 that the United States should consider streamlining the management of national security space programs \u2014 potentially through tighter integration between the National Reconnaissance Office and the U.S. Space Force.<\/p>\n

Testifying in a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Berkowitz said options to unify elements of the defense and intelligence space communities \u201cshould be worth considering,\u201d arguing that closer integration of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the Space Force could improve efficiency in acquisition and operations.<\/p>\n

Both the Space Force and the NRO build and operate satellites, the former for military missions and the latter for intelligence gathering.<\/p>\n

Berkowitz, who previously served as assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for space policy and later as vice president for strategic planning at Lockheed Martin, has been an influential voice in debates over how the military organizes its space enterprise. In past writings, he has argued that inefficiencies persist despite the 2019 creation of the Space Force.<\/p>\n

In a SpaceNews op-ed<\/a> earlier this year, he wrote that the problem of \u201cinefficient defense space acquisitions, one of the main concerns which prompted the U.S. Space Force\u2019s creation, has not been resolved. The number of national security space acquisition organizations has increased, key defense space programs continue to be over budget and behind schedule, and satellite, ground and user equipment continue to be unsynchronized.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Tuesday\u2019s hearing, Berkowitz appeared alongside other Pentagon nominees, including Joseph Jewell, the administration\u2019s pick for assistant secretary of defense for science and technology. Portions of the hearing focused on the future of national security space programs and Trump\u2019s proposed missile defense initiative known as Golden Dome.<\/p>\n

Berkowitz said that, if confirmed, his top priorities would be to \u201csustain America\u2019s position as the world\u2019s leader in space activities \u2026 enable creation and operation of the Golden Dome for America comprehensive homeland missile defense, and strengthen U.S. space and missile defense forces to restore deterrence, achieve peace through strength, or, if necessary, prevail in conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n

Golden Dome, a still-conceptual program managed by Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, is envisioned as a multi-layered homeland defense system capable of detecting and intercepting ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles before or during flight. The system would rely on satellite constellations equipped with advanced sensors and potentially space-based interceptors.<\/p>\n

Berkowitz told senators he expects to \u201cwork very closely and collaboratively with General Guetlein and all of the department\u2019s components involved in the Golden Dome program, not only on sensors, which are a critical aspect of it, as well as potentially space based interceptors, but also on the battle management, command and control and communications capabilities that are essential to network all of the system of systems that will comprise the homeland missile defense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jewell, meanwhile, said he would prioritize advancing research in space-based sensing and missile detection technologies. \u201cWe\u2019re going to rely on some of those space based layers, as well as ground based layers, in order to execute the sensing and custody that we need prior to addressing in a kinetic fashion any threats that may face the homeland,\u201d Jewell told the committee. \u201cIf confirmed, I intend to support research in space technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his opening remarks, Berkowitz emphasized that \u201cunimpeded access and use of space is of vital national interest.\u201d He warned that \u201cthe threat environment is extraordinarily complex,\u201d pointing in particular to China\u2019s growing counterspace and missile capabilities, which he said are designed \u201cto undermine our historic advantages in space, contest our freedom of action, jeopardize our military forces and operations, and hold the U.S. homeland at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Challenges in space policy<\/p>\n

He mentioned two core challenges he expects to confront if confirmed: \u201caddressing the national security policy issues required to enable us to deal effectively and urgently with the pace, scope and complexity of space and missile threats, and the second is the broader national policy issues to sustain United States position as the world\u2019s leader in space exploration and use.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawmakers pressed Berkowitz on the question of balancing defense space activities with intelligence community programs. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the committee\u2019s ranking Democrat, asked whether Berkowitz believed the undersecretary of the Air Force should also serve as director of the NRO.<\/p>\n

Berkowitz pushed back on the assertion that he had explicitly advocated for merging those positions<\/a> but said he has floated various options for \u201cimproving the efficiency of the department\u2019s space activities.\u201d <\/p>\n

He reminded senators that \u201cthroughout much of the history of the national security space program, either the secretary, undersecretary or assistant secretary for space in the Department of the Air Force was dual hatted as the director of the NRO, and for much of that time, both the defense and National Reconnaissance Office programs were run very efficiently and effectively. And so if that is an option that\u2019s worth considering, I would support it, if it was appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), the ranking member of the SASC subcommittee on strategic forces, endorsed the idea of reducing duplication across agencies. \u201cWe can\u2019t afford to develop parallel space capabilities where there\u2019s overlap and the cost involved is enormous,\u201d King said. \u201cI hope you will continue your provocative thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

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