The Defense Department wants to understand the “purpose and intent and capability” of objects in space, not just how many objects there are, said USAF Lt. Gen. Kevin Chilton, space and global strike component commander for US Strategic Command. Chilton told lawmakers that military space had a “good capability of being able to count the dots up there” but lacked capability to “divine intent.” To be able to determine purpose, said Chilton, DOD must increase its surveillance capability.
After nearly a yearlong vacancy, the Air Force has a Vice Chief of Staff once more. The Senate confirmed Gen. John D. Lamontagne to the service’s No. 2 job on Jan. 30 in an uncontroversial voice vote, along with a new head of U.S. Southern Command and five Air Force three-stars.
