U.S. officials urge funding to reduce
vulnerabilities in space
Send a link to a friend
[March 26, 2015]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top U.S.
military officials on Wednesday urged Congress to approve $5 billion in
increased spending aimed at protecting U.S. military and intelligence
satellites, citing what they called growing threats from China and other
countries.
|
Doug Loverro, deputy assistant defense secretary for space policy,
said the Pentagon's fiscal 2016 budget request marked a "significant
turn" toward better protecting the satellites, which provide
critical capabilities such as targeting, missile warning and weather
data to the U.S. military.
He said the fiscal 2016 budget and associated five-year budget plan
increased or shifted $5 billion in funding to ensure the United
States's continued ability to fight future wars.
Loverro told the strategic forces subcommittee of the House Armed
Services Committee that threats to such systems included increased
congestion in space, spectrum interference and debris, as well as
hostile threats from countries like China that are actively seeking
to eliminate the U.S. advantage in space.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Mar/26/images/ads/current/goodman_sda_Book_021914.png) Loverro told the committee the funding included both classified and
unclassified programs but gave no details about specific programs.
He said additional funding might be required in coming years after
the Defense Department completes several studies about future
satellite needs.
Loverro and other top Pentagon officials told lawmakers the funding
was needed to better protect critical satellites that were designed
at a time when the United States was one of very few countries
operating and launching satellites.
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Mar/26/images/ads/current/cia_1_lda_031115.png)
General John Hyten, head of Air Force Space Command, said the added
funding was absolutely necessary to ensure the military's ability to
continue using its satellites.
He said the threats the United States faced were "significant." The
Air Force officer said he would provide lawmakers with more details
during a classified hearing which was to follow the open hearing.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Mar/26/images/ads/current/Martin_Farms_daily_sda_2015.png) |