A long-awaited announcement on where the new Space Command headquarters will be located should come soon after the first of the year, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said.

And Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal remains under consideration for the new branch of the Armed Forces.

"I had a conversation with the Secretary of the Air Force (Barbara Barrett) just Thursday to talk about Huntsville and we talked about the Space Force and the Space Command and where they stand," said Jones, D-Birmingham. "Those decisions are going to be made relatively soon. Huntsville is still in the works."

Speaking at a press conference Saturday in the Rocket City, Jones said that even if Huntsville does not land the Space Command HQ, it will have a significant role.

Jones said the passage of the National Defense Appropriations Authorization – the spending bill for the military – is a final hurdle toward the announcement on the site of Space Command headquarters. The Senate is expected to pass the $738 billion bill Tuesday, sending it to President Donald Trump for his signature. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House.

Jones said that among the highlights in the budget for Redstone Arsenal were $38 million for an aircraft and flight equipment building, which he said would consolidate four buildings on the Army base and lead to more efficient operations. Huntsville will also get a "a lot" of more than $100 million allotted to upgrade the nation's hypersonic system.

"We are a little bit behind (the Russians and Chinese) in this and we are working to catch up and make sure we have the best going forward," Jones said.

Altogether, Alabama will receive the 9th-largest amount of money of any state in the defense bill. Jones said those funds are also for the Anniston Army Depot, Fort Rucker near Dothan and Austal USA shipbuilding in Mobile.

"We're still hoping Austal in Mobile get the frigate contract," Jones said.

Meanwhile, as Huntsville awaits word on Space Command headquarters, the city will benefit from the new command, Jones said. But Jones, city leaders and others in Congress have been lobbying relentlessly for Huntsville to land the HQ.

"I want folks to understand that regardless, I have been assured Huntsville is going to continue to have a strong presence in whatever it is and wherever it might be," Jones said. "There is too much infrastructure here now for that to be moved and to change. So regardless of where something is ultimately located, the fact that we have so much here in Huntsville, Alabama, is going to continue to be important and that's why the creation of Space Force has been so important for this area.

“But we’re still keeping our fingers crossed that it’s going to end up right here on the arsenal.”