The United States Space Force, the newest military branch, is introducing a new naming scheme for its weapon systems, drawing inspiration from historical aircraft designation codes used by the US Army Air Service. The Space Force’s directive, known as Space Force Instruction 16-403, outlines the guidelines for naming and designating its ground and orbital ‘weapon systems.’ This move represents a shift from traditional bureaucratic acronyms towards a more streamlined and purpose-driven nomenclature approach.
The directive, signed by former Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton and now overseen by Gen. Bratton in his role as vice chief of space operations, mandates the use of specific letters and numbers to indicate the purpose, orbital regime, design number, and design series of each new weapon system developed under the Space Force. This shift mirrors the evolution from the Pentagon’s Joint Strike Fighter program to the iconic F-35 Lightning II nomenclature.
By embracing this new naming convention, the Space Force aims to enhance clarity, efficiency, and operational effectiveness in identifying and referring to its diverse array of weapon systems both on the ground and in space. While existing satellites are not required to be renamed, all future Space Force programs will adhere to this standardized naming structure as outlined in the instruction.
Source: Ars Technica