Space Force units to be permanently situated in Colorado, no decision on HQ

June 1 (UPI) -- A number of high-profile units of U.S. Space Force will permanently be based in Colorado, after officials released a final decision.

The news Wednesday evening coincided with a visit by President Joe Biden to the state, where he delivered a commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado Springs.

Despite the announcement, no final decision has been made on the permanent home of U.S. Space Command, which is temporarily operating in Colorado. The mountainous western state is embroiled in a political battle with Alabama over the location.

"I was pleased to join [Colorado Springs mayor] John Suthers to greet @POTUS in Colorado Springs tonight. We had the chance to underscore to the president the importance of keeping US_SpaceCom in Colorado," Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said in a social media post, advocating the president to side with Colorado in the final decision.

Bennet and fellow Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper have been lobbying the Pentagon to keep the units in the state, where they've been based on a temporary basis.

The two Democratic senators also hope to make the temporary home of U.S. Space Command in Colorado a permanent fixture.

Late in his tenure, former president Donald Trump moved the proposed headquarters of the U.S. Space Force to Huntsville, Ala.

The Biden administration has signalled it may consider reversing that decision, removing the interim tag in front of Colorado Springs where U.S. Space Command is currently based because of Alabama's stance on reproductive care and abortion ban.

"U.S. Space Command is months away from full operational capability [FOC] at Peterson Space Force Base, and a move would delay FOC by four to six years. We cannot afford a self-imposed delay in FOC given the threats posed by China and Russia," Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., tweeted last week.

This comes in response to a move by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who is attempting to block nominations to military posts unless the military drops its policy ensuring flexibility and travel expenses for non-covered reproductive healthcare out of state.

Defense officials confirmed Wednesday the U.S. Space Force's Delta 15 unit will now be permanently housed at the Schriever Space Force Base east of Colorado Springs.

Activated this past March, the unit is "a command-and-control organization within Space Operations Command, provides mission-ready forces in support of the National Space Defense Center's protect and defend space mission," the department said in a statement.

Space Delta 12 will also call Colorado home on a full-time basis.

It will be joined by the newly created 75th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, with the 74th ISR Squadron expected to be based at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs.

The decisions came after site surveys assessed the locations' long-term viability for infrastructure, environmental factors and cost among other criteria.

"Colorado plays a critical role in our country's national security. Beyond the Air Force Academy, Colorado is home to the largest number of Space Force Deltas, three Space Force bases, and several specialized headquarters, including U.S. Space Command. Our state is the nexus of America's defense and space missions," Bennet said in a statement.

U.S. Space Force first became active in 2021, dubbed a "warfighting force" by its commander Army Gen. James Dickinson.