U.S. Space Force has made public the prototypes of its new uniforms, which immediately drew comparisons to those worn in Star Trek and other science fiction franchises.
The Guardian Service Dress prototype was presented on Tuesday by Gen. John W. Raymond during the Air Force Association's Space Force Air, Space and Cyber Conference.
The military's newest service branch described the uniforms in a tweet as "modern, distinctive, professional uniform."
Raymond explained the six buttons on the uniform's coats are intended to represent Space Force being the military's sixth branch, reports military.com.
Others on Twitter reacted to how the uniform's collar and a diagonal flap that buttons up on the right side resembled those of Starfleet, the fictional organization the Star Trek franchise is centered on.
Others noted the uniform's likeness to those worn in the Battlestar Galactica television series, as well as imperial officers in Star Wars.
Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force Roger A. Towberman also posted the branch's insignia to Facebook on Monday.
All of the uniform ranks feature a "foundational Delta," reports Stars and Stripes.
Although the triangular shape is also similar to an emblem used in Star Trek, the military has had it in use since 1961, years before the space opera aired.
The branch's three junior ranks feature horizontal stripes representing "terra firma," the ground the service is built on. The three most senior ranks feature curving chevrons representing orbit.
Lt. Col. Alison Gonzalez, Space Force deputy chief of strategy, modeled the new uniform at the conference.
She said the uniform was designed to fit women service members — typically, the military designs uniforms for men and then adapts them for women, sometimes resulting in bad fits.
Raymond said Space Force is getting feedback on the uniforms and will wear-test them before they are widely distributed.
Soaring high: Pentagon's Space Force gets new uniform
Washington (AFP) Sept 21, 2021 –
The US Space Force unveiled its new dress uniform design Tuesday, aiming to make a future-forward mark for the Pentagon's newest uniformed service.
The prototype for the new uniform for the Space Force's Guardians, as they have been officially designated, is a short navy blue jacket with a large flap over the right breast, secured by a diagonal line of six silver buttons.
It has a standing collar, and the service badge, with a delta-shaped rocket pushing into a star, is worn below the left breast.
The jacket is matched with grey trousers or skirts.
"Modern, distinctive, professional" the Space Force called it in a tweet.
"Every winning team needs a uniform! We started with the female design and then created the male prototype," wrote Chief of Space Operations General Jay Raymond.
Launched officially in December 2019, the Space Force was organized to address challenges of fighting war in the exosphere, seen as a distinct theater from the air force.
Similar designs with diagonal buttons holding down breast flaps have been seen for centuries in European and American uniforms, and are donned with large amounts of braid by marching band drum majors today.
But the designers for the Space Force seemed aware of the sleeker uniforms seen in "Star Trek", "Battlestar Galactica" — where uniforms also had the diagonal buttons — and "Star Wars".
Indeed, the force's service badge and logo are difficult to distinguish from that of the Starfleet Command from Star Trek.