Washington: President Donald Trump unveiled the official flag for his Space Force at the White House on Friday, touting American military might including the development of what he called “the super-duper missile.”
Trump said the U.S. is “building right now incredible military equipment,” including a missile that would travel faster than any other in the world “by a factor of almost three.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed his country has already developed and fielded a hypersonic nuclear missile ahead of the U.S. The Pentagon has been working on the technology.
Later Friday, Jonathan Rath Hoffman, a Pentagon spokesman, tweeted that “the Department of Defense is working on developing a range of hypersonic missiles to counter our adversaries.”
Last December, Trump signed into law a measure to create the Space Force, saying the U.S. needed to expand its military presence in space. The Air Force previously oversaw offensive and defensive operations in space.
Trump’s enthusiasm for Space Force has drawn sporadic criticism and provided fodder for comedians. A satirical Netflix series, “Space Force,” debuts later this month, starring Steve Carell and John Malkovich.
The Pentagon’s budget allocated funding for the force, including “space-related weapons systems and operations.” The Space Force’s procurement budget is projected to reach $4.7 billion by fiscal year 2025. – Bloomberg
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