WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force sent Congress a mostly classified fiscal 2024 wish list that includes $434 million for six unnamed programs.
Defense News obtained the document, referred to as an unfunded priorities list. The request is separate from the service’s FY24 budget proposal, highlighting for lawmakers projects it did not pursue within its $30 billion spending plan.
Five of the six classified programs on the Space Force’s list are research and development efforts and one is in the procurement stage. A service spokesman declined to provide C4ISRNET its total FY24 classified budget request, so it’s unclear how the wish list stacks up against it.
Beyond the classified efforts, the service requests $43 million for its Defensive Cyber Operations for Space program, dubbed DCO-S, which is focused on developing protections against cyberspace intrusions. The Space Force wants $76 million for DCO-S in FY24 and another $250.5 million through FY28.
Courtney Albon is C4ISRNET’s space and emerging technology reporter. She has covered the U.S. military since 2012, with a focus on the Air Force and Space Force. She has reported on some of the Defense Department’s most significant acquisition, budget and policy challenges.
Bryant Harris is the Congress reporter for Defense News. He has covered U.S. foreign policy, national security, international affairs and politics in Washington since 2014. He has also written for Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Al Jazeera English and IPS News.
