The U.S. Department of the Air Force should select the U.S. Army’s Fort Huachuca in southeast Arizona to establish a new U.S. Space Force mission system and squadron that will provide the Combatant Command with early threat detection and identification of space objects, said U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ).
“This mission is vital to strengthening national Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and ensuring operational superiority in a contested and congested space environment that will only grow more competitive,” wrote Rep. Ciscomani and his colleagues in a July 30 letter sent to U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink.
“Fort Huachuca offers a low-risk, high-value, move-in-ready solution that aligns with key basing criteria: sensor dispersion, environmental suitability, established infrastructure, and demonstrated experience in cross-domain deconfliction,” wrote the three Arizona lawmakers.
Located in southern Arizona, the area has unique environmental conditions, the members wrote, including minimal light pollution, low air traffic, and clear skies.
The existing base also offers full support infrastructure for personnel and families, reducing startup costs and enhancing term readiness, retention, and family well-being, according to their letter.
Additionally, the surrounding region includes the University of Arizona, which leads in AI-driven space object detection, and major aerospace firms like Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Honeywell, which provide industrial capacity to support SDA innovation, they added.
“We respectfully urge your full consideration as the Department moves forward with its basing process,” Rep. Ciscomani and his colleagues wrote.
Their letter received support from Clea McCaa, Mayor of Sierra Vista, Ariz., and Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president of research and innovation at the University of Arizona.