U.S. Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Ken Calvert (R-CA), co-chairs of the California Aerospace Caucus, sent a letter to U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III last week, urging for the permanent relocation of the U.S. Space Force (USSF) upcoming Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) headquarters to either Los Angeles Air Force Base or the Vandenburg Space Force Base.
Lieu, Calvert, and 24 other caucus members argued that the Golden State’s existing space ecosystems and its hold on research, innovation, and business made it an attractive and sensible choice for the military’s consideration.
Surveys of potential sites began earlier this year. According to the Air Force, LA AFB and Vandenberg SFB were already among six candidate locations for the new STARCOM HQ.
Wherever it lands, STARCOM represents a significant opportunity for its hosts. It is one of three USSF field commands and handles the development, education, and training of space professionals and overall space warfighting doctrine, as well as the operational test and evaluation of the Space Force’s systems. It is the branch that handles the knowledge, testing, and training basis from which others might grow.
“The DAF’s assessment of locations will be based on factors including mission, infrastructure capacity, community support, and cost,” the caucus members wrote. “We are proud that California is home to one of the most exciting and innovative space ecosystems in the world. The establishment of Space Systems Command at LA AFB last year and the critical space-related missions and assets at Vandenberg SFB reflect the state’s long history of driving innovation and supporting our national efforts in space. Coupled with outstanding research universities, unrivaled federally-funded research and development centers, leading aerospace companies and startups, and world-class talent, we have the utmost confidence that either California base would be a perfect choice for this new command headquarters.”
The members also emphasized that the USSF needs to capitalize on already in-place systems and advantages if it intends to address increasing challenges from near-peer competitors and others in the field.