As adversaries like China and Russia continue to enhance their space capabilities, the US Space Force has emerged as an indispensable component of defense strategy, ensuring space remains secure, resilient, and fully integrated into joint warfighting efforts.
“I've heard civil society organizations … talk about that there might be a little bit of confusion about whether combatant or service commands fight wars, and of course, we all know that combatant commanders are tasked with that in their area of operations, but service components are actually Gen. Douglas A. Chase, Commander of the United States Space Forces – Space Commander and Commander of the Joint Joint Force's Space Components, who served as Director of the Committee: “Fight the War.”
Dean. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalier, commander of US Space Forces Indo-Pacific, described how his team devoted nearly 10,000 hours to mission analysis to improve operational models and plans tailored to the Indo-Pacific region.
“We are close to completing a robust programming plan that will set the blueprint for how Space Force components in the Indo-Pacific region will operate moving forward,” Mastalir said.
He stressed the critical importance of space in the region, especially as tensions rise with China and North Korea and emphasized the need for seamless integration into the operational plans of regional combatant commanders. “Our goal is to be a reliable and active partner in the fight,” he added, also pointing to growing cooperation with key regional allies such as Japan, South Korea and Australia.
Colonel Chris Putman, US Space Forces Central Commander, shared his insights on the challenges facing the Space Force in the Middle East. With the high pace of operations in the region and evolving missile threats, the Space Force has become an integral part of defensive operations.
“The largest ballistic missile attack in history did not happen just once, but twice in one year,” Putman said. “Our Rangers were part of every part of the kill chain, defending our partners and U.S. forces. We did not expect these types of threats, but we quickly adapted to ensure our effectiveness in these real-time combat operations.” He stressed the critical role of tracking personnel and resources in conflict zones, noting that Space Force speed and response were key to maintaining operational success.
As the Space Force has matured, its expanding international partnerships have become a cornerstone of its operational success. Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Grella, Supreme Commander of US Space Forces Central, stressed the importance of this cooperation.
“Three years ago, General Saltzman made the critical decision to establish service component commands sooner rather than later,” Grella said. “This has allowed us to establish strong relationships at both the tactical and operational levels, which are absolutely essential for interoperability.”
Chief Master Sgt. Tina Timmerman, senior leader at S4S, also spoke about the increasing integration of international staff into space operations, noting that “our partners now have access to the same operational frameworks we use, and we all speak the same language.”
This integration has greatly enhanced the ability to carry out space operations in real time. Timmerman stressed that the success of future space operations will depend on joint cooperation, space flexibility, and shared access to the space domain.
She added: “We are working with more countries than ever before, and the key to our future success will be building these relationships – whether that is through joint operations, resilience in space, or ensuring our shared access to the space domain.”
Dean. Gen. Jake Middleton, commander of US Space Forces Europe and Africa, also shared how the Space Force addresses challenges in Africa and Europe, particularly through programs such as Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Tracking, or TacSRT.
“We are making the most of our limited resources by leveraging our allies,” Middleton said. “The TacSRT program has been a game-changer for us at AFRICOM, allowing us to quickly share space-based data with our partners for disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.”
Looking to the future, space operations will remain central to US military strategy, requiring continuous adaptation and strong international cooperation.
“Space is no longer a sanctuary. It is a contested domain. Our mission is to ensure our ability to operate in this domain and continue to provide support in all conflict zones,” Mastalir said.
The U.S. Space Force, through its expanding global partnerships and integrated approach to space operations, positions itself as a cornerstone of America's defense efforts, ready to meet the challenges of an increasingly crowded and contested space domain.
“Chief Timmerman and I are thrilled to lead the thousands of assigned guards, attaches and joint members around the world who provide excellent operations in the U.S. Space Command area of responsibility,” Schies said. “Every day, the Guards, along with joint members, go to operations centers and conduct remarkable operations, and they do so with such distinction, that every day, the leadership of the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation and anyone who wants to harm the United States say: Not today.”
