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.
Promotions to the Space Force’s second highest enlisted grade, senior master sergeant, have surged to the highest level in the young service’s history, bolstering the senior NCO corps as officials plan to aggressively expand the force and especially the enlisted corps.