Despite the push back from almost every Governor, the U.S. Space Force plans to transfer every space mission within the Air National Guard into the U.S. Space Force instead of creating a Space National Guard. This is a sharp turn from the sentiment at the beginning of the year when the plan seems to be to overturn Legislative Proposal 480 (LP480) and work to create a Space National Guard.
Future of the Space Force National Guard in Question
Earlier this year Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho introduced a bipartisan bill that would stop LP480 and create a Space Force National Guard. LP480 was a Biden era policy that worked to transfer Air National Guard units into the U.S. Space Force over an eight year period. LP480 was successfully lobbied against last year and was not included in the National Defense Authorization Act. President Trump campaigned on the promise of creating a Space Force National Guard. In July 2024, he stated, “as president, I will sign historic legislation creating a Space National Guard.”
But on July 30 the Air Force released a signed memo by Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink stating that the U.S. Space Force would take over all space missions run by the Air National Guard beginning October 1. Currently, those missions are completed by nine Air National Guard units in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, and Ohio. They provide 60% of the U.S. military’s deployable offensive space electronic-warfare capabilities.
New Legislation In Response to Air Force Guidance
In response to the memo, Hickenlooper and Crapo recently sponsored two amendments that would allow the planned transfer of Air National Guard member to active duty Space Force members to take place, with the hopes the legislation will establish a “future precedent” that such a move can’t take place outside of existing laws, which require approval and consent from state governors.
Both Hickenlooper and Crapo still oppose the transfer. Hickenlooper stated, “It’s been the duty of governors for over a century to maintain the readiness of their National Guard units. A Space National Guard is in America’s best interest. If the Department of Defense chooses to proceed with LP480, we put bipartisan guidance in place, so it doesn’t set a precedent.”
As of Wednesday, the House has not put forward similar amendments. Any amendments created would still have to be added to the NDAA. Then passed by Congress and signed by the President to become law.
Opposition to Legislation Proposal 480
There is opposition from 55 governors of states and territories, more than 120 lawmakers, and National Guard advocates against LP480. Lawmakers did include a provision in the 2025 NDAA to allow the Air National Guard transfers to take place over an eight-year timeline. Now that timeline has been condensed to October 1, less than a year after the NDAA was signed.
This goes against the recommendation and lobbying efforts of the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS). They had made the creation of a Space National Guard and the repeal of LP 480 last year one of its biggest priorities. NGAUS believes the transfer would cause the military to lose talent. One survey earlier this year showed that only 8% of Air National Guardsmen want to transfer to the active-duty Space Force. The push to move forward without support and at such a quick timeline leads to more questions than answers.
Retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, the NGAUS president asked, “What’s the rush? Congress provided time to get this right, to make sure this is the best option for the nation, which many still believe it is not.”
Future of the Space Force National Guard Remains Unclear
There are also concerns that if this transfer process continues forward, the military may lose capability with many Air National Guard members not interested in transferring to the U.S. Space Force. That means those missions would lose the knowledge and experience needed to continue. Added to that challenge is the fact that the transfers of the units would leave the Space National Guard without a foundation to build on. It could make the challenge of creating a Space National Guard even harder than the past efforts to create a Space National Guard has already seen.
