Posted: Sat, Feb 2, 2019, 10:28 AM ET (1528 GMT)
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan confirmed Tuesday that the Pentagon's proposal for the Space Force will place it within the Air Force. Speaking with reporters, Shanahan said he plans to continue to oversee the space reorganization that started last year when he was deputy secretary of defense. That includes a proposal to establish a Space Force within the Air Force, which will be included in the Pentagon's 2020 budget proposal. He called that the most efficient approach to establishing the Space Force: "It's going to be small, as small as possible a footprint." He added that he had identified a four-star officer to serve as head of the new US Space Command, but didn't disclose the name of that planned nominee.

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