THE UNITED States Space Force will become a “combat credible arm of the military” to battle increasing threats from enemies like Russia, China and Iran.
The specialist organisation dedicated to orbital warfare has spent five years in the “establishment phase” since being signed off by ex-pres Donald Trump in 2019.
But bosses visiting the UK this week warn they now need to be more ready for attacks off Earth than ever before as space is being rapidly weaponised.
Lt Gen David N. Miller said today at the US Embassy in London: “We are moving from establishment into developing the service into a combat credible military service.
“Increasingly the character of warfare that includes space as an operational domain for warfighting is becoming more and more apparent to everyone.
“In order to compete in today’s environment, deter conflict and prevail conflict, we’re going to have to take similar approaches to developing, generating and fielding capability.”
Chief Master Sergeant Caleb M. Lloyd said: “The domain has changed.
“We recognise and talk about space as a warfighting domain.
“The particular focus for us is the development of our people.”
The U.S accused Russia of launching a counter space weapon capable of attacking satellites into low Earth orbit in May.
It claims Moscow has done this twice before and was especially concerned by tests of Russia’s anti-satellite missile and China’s Fractional Orbital Bombardment System in 2021.
Lt Gen Miller added: “The risk is higher. You have to be ready for it.
“We’ve got to provide a full spectrum deterrent and that means that they’ve got to know that we will have a response to any threat vector that they provide to us.”
Technological attacks deployed in Putin’s bloody invasion of Ukraine since February 2022 has also proved “space will be a part of any battlespace in the future”.
Lt Gen Miller said: “The character of warfare in the 21st Century will have space as an operational domain from which capabilities will be derived for the benefit of the military forces involved.
“Adversaries will also seek to deny that benefit and will develop systems to disrupt or defeat the advantage you gain from space. It validates why we have a space force in my opinion.”
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/12332645/us-china-russia-war-space-missile-moon/