Cultivating the Space Domain

Air Force leaders are working to educate the American public on the importance of space in US military operations. “In the next year, you’ll hear us talking a lot about space and how we work closely with the Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. We believe it is imperative that Americans understand the nature of what is at stake as we rapidly prepare to defend our satellites and networks from attack and develop capabilities that will deter future adversaries from trying,” wrote Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein and Space Command boss Gen. Jay Raymond in an op-ed published by Defense News Wednesday. The leaders identified three areas of progress on this front. First, USAF is improving its “ability to command and control space assets in a contested environment.” Next, since most current US space assets were launched before conflict in space seemed possible, “we are building a more survivable space infrastructure.” Third, the Air Force has established the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center in Colorado, “to help us innovate and test new tools in space.” At JICSPOC, USAF is collaborating with US Strategic Command because a large part of the mission in space is deterrence. “We must be able to detect threats early,” Goldfein and Raymond wrote, and “if need be, maneuver and respond so decisively that no foe is tempted to raise a weapon in anger.”