In a clear directive aimed at reshaping the priorities of the nation's newest military branch, the U.S. Congress has embedded a new mandate within the fiscal 2026 defense policy bill. The legislation, signed into law today, compels the Space Force to significantly increase the number of Guardians trained in acquisition roles, addressing long-standing concerns from lawmakers that the service has overly prioritized its operational warfighters.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) legally requires the Space Force to balance its acquisition and operational personnel numbers.
- The directive is the result of over a year of pressure from the House Armed Services Committee, led by Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Adam Smith.
- Lawmakers have directed the mandate to the Secretary of the Air Force, signaling concerns about the current focus of Space Force leadership.
- The Space Force must provide its first progress report within two months, with annual updates required through 2030.
A New Legislative Requirement
The freshly passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026 includes a specific and forceful provision aimed directly at the Space Force's personnel structure. The law instructs Air Force Secretary Troy Meink to ensure the number of trained acquisition specialists within the Space Force reaches and maintains a level "comparable" to those in operational billets.
This move is not merely a suggestion; it carries the weight of law and comes with strict oversight. The first report detailing the service's progress is due just two months after the bill's signing. Following this initial assessment, the Secretary must submit annual reports on the matter every October until 2030.
Why Target the Air Force Secretary?
The decision by Congress to direct this mandate to the Secretary of the Air Force, rather than directly to the Chief of Space Operations, is significant. According to congressional sources, this reflects a persistent concern among lawmakers that the Space Force's own leadership has not adequately addressed the issue. By tasking Secretary Meink, Congress is leveraging the civilian oversight structure of the Department of the Air Force to enforce its directive.
This legislative action represents the culmination of more than a year of sustained pressure from key figures on Capitol Hill who believe the service's internal focus has been misaligned.
A Year of Mounting Pressure
The language in the NDAA did not appear in a vacuum. It follows a series of warnings from the leadership of the House Armed Services Committee. In December 2024, Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) sent a sharply worded letter to Gen. Chance Saltzman, the Chief of Space Operations, highlighting the urgent need for a more robust acquisition corps.
In a statement today, Chairman Rogers reiterated the committee's position, linking acquisition expertise directly to national security in the space domain.
"Space warfighting is a highly technical affair, and our success requires improvements in acquisition. As the Pentagon and the Space Force work to implement the acquisition changes required by the NDAA... it’s critical that the Space Force grow and develop its acquisition workforce."
Rogers added that he would be working closely with Secretary Meink to ensure the law is "fully implemented." This sustained focus underscores a fundamental disagreement between lawmakers and the service about how to build the most effective force for a contested space environment.
The Operator vs. Acquirer Debate
At the heart of the issue is a perceived cultural divide within the Space Force. Since taking his post in 2022, Gen. Saltzman, a graduate and former instructor of the Air Force weapons school, has been seen by some Pentagon insiders as prioritizing the development of an operational, or "warfighting," culture. This emphasis has reportedly been amplified by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's department-wide focus on warfighting readiness.
Personnel Snapshot
Gen. Saltzman stated in September that 49 percent of Guardian officers are currently in acquisition-related jobs. He has since described acquisition as a "warfighting imperative" rather than a simple support function.
While Gen. Saltzman has publicly acknowledged the importance of acquisition, some of his statements have fueled congressional concerns. At a November event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, he explained his vision for Guardian training.
He noted that while all personnel would receive foundational training in cyber and space operations, only a "portion of them will become acquisition competent" and develop deeper skills in that area. He stressed that a "foundation of operations, I think, is essential." To many on Capitol Hill, this suggested that acquisition was being treated as a secondary specialty rather than a core competency on par with operations.
A Looming Workforce Crisis
The congressional mandate arrives as Space Force acquisition leaders are already sounding the alarm about personnel shortages. The concerns are not just about future needs but also about the capacity to handle the current workload.
Speaking at the same CSIS event as Gen. Saltzman, Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, the acting space acquisition czar for the Air Force, painted a stark picture of the challenges his teams face. He cited past personnel cuts and the strain of government shutdowns as factors that have depleted the ranks of an already small workforce.
The situation is compounded by an expected increase in new acquisition programs.
"We also have a looming increase in acquisitions coming down the pike, and so that presents us with a really difficult situation... We are in a situation where we barely have enough acquirers to do all of the work that we have now." - Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy
Maj. Gen. Purdy's comments highlight the practical urgency behind the new legislative language. Without a sufficient number of skilled acquisition professionals, the Space Force's ability to rapidly develop and field the advanced satellite and ground systems needed to counter threats from adversaries could be severely hampered. Congress has now made it clear that building this workforce is no longer optional; it is a legal requirement.