New Combatant commander begins organizing USSPACECOM

U.S. Space Command Commander General John W. “Jay” Raymond, in his first official directives, established two subordinate commands that will jointly provide support to the new Unified Combatant Command.

Combined Force Space Component Command and Joint Task Force Space Defense will focus the planning and execution of global space operations, activities and missions into two areas:

1. protection and defense from threats to U.S. space capabilities/forces and
2. maintaining and growing our national security space programs, combat-relevant space capabilities, and space cadre talent to increase warfighter lethality.

“To ensure USSPACECOM can conduct its mission decisively, I am establishing two subordinate commands with distinct and defined mission areas to ensure the command is postured to protect and defend, while also increasing joint warfighter lethality and strengthening partnerships,” Raymond said.

“The establishment of the Department of Defense’s 11th COCOM dedicated to space operations reflects the value of space contributions to national security, the evolution of the threats to U.S. space systems, and the importance of deterring potential adversaries from challenging or attacking U.S. space systems. These subordinate commands will have a direct impact on that mission,” he said.

JTF-SD

The JTF-SD will be commanded by Brigadier General Thomas L. James, with a mission to conduct space superiority operations in unified action with mission partners to deter aggression, defend space capability and, when directed, defeat adversaries throughout the continuum of conflict.

The JTF-SD will execute its protect and defend mission through various operations centers, including National Space Defense Center at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado; Space Situational Awareness Units; and Emerging Space Defense Units.

CFSCC

Maj. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting. (Photo: USAF)

The CFSCC will be commanded by Major General Stephen Whiting with a mission to plan, integrate, conduct and assess global space operations in order to deliver combat-relevant space capabilities to Combatant Commanders, Coalition partners, the Joint Force, and the Nation. CFSCC plans and executes space operations through four distinct and geographically dispersed operations centers, including:

• Combined Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB, California;
• Missile Warning Center at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado;
• Joint Overhead Persistent Infrared Center at Buckley AFB, Colorado; and
• Joint Navigation Warfare Center located at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.

Additionally, CFSCC executes tactical control over a number of Air Force, Army and Navy space units.

Protecting critical space assets

“Over the past decade, our great power competitors have developed technologies that threaten our critical national assets in space,” Raymond said. “The U.S. has no desire to see a conflict in space, and we are working hard to ensure no country believes they can gain a terrestrial advantage by extending a conflict to space.

“It’s important to understand that, like all nations, we have the inherent right of self-defense, so purposeful interference with space assets vital to our national security will be met by leveraging our multi-domain capabilities across air, land, sea, cyber and space, and all of our instruments of national power.”