Space and Missile Systems Center will play a key role in Congress’s requirement that DOD develop operationally responsive space capabilities, Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, commander of SMC said Tuesday at a breakfast meeting with Washington-based defense reporters. He explained: “We today and for the past 40 years have been the stewards for DOD’s space test program. We fly routinely experiments and satellites for the Air Force and other agencies.” In fact, he said that SMC has already made some organizational realignments to meet the new requirements, because “we think these two things together, operationally responsive space and our already ongoing space test program will provide very good synergy.” However, Hamel was quick to point out, “There’s got to be resources to get put into this because we can’t just hope for—imagine—that there’s going to be satellites and launchers.”
NATO Scrambles Fighter in Newest Response to Russian Drones
Sept. 16, 2025
NATO scrambled its first fighter Sept. 13 under its new plan to bolster its defenses against Russian air incursions that was put into place after an array of Russian drones flew into Polish airspace last week, the officials from the alliance’s military command said.
