USSPACECOM emphasizes unified strategies for space operations advantage

USSPACECOM emphasizes unified strategies for space operations advantage
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 16, 2024

Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, addressed the Space Force Association's annual Spacepower Conference on Dec. 11, highlighting the necessity of a unified operational strategy to maximize warfighting effectiveness in the space domain. Speaking to an audience of Guardians, government officials, academics, and space industry leaders, Whiting underscored the value of leveraging a "common playbook" to integrate diverse capabilities across the Joint Force.

"That broader playbook in joint doctrine is defined as something called the joint functions," Whiting said. "The joint functions describe those skills and capabilities that we need to bring to the broader Joint Force, and they are the result of centuries of lessons learned and experience in the terrestrial warfighting domains."

The military's doctrinal framework for joint operations, outlined in Joint Publication 3-0, identifies seven critical functions applicable across operational domains, including space:

- Intelligence
- Information
- Command and Control
- Fires
- Protection
- Movement and Maneuver
- Sustainment

Whiting used vivid imagery to illustrate these functions in a space context, likening their application to the dynamic interplay in an all-domain battlefield. Behind him, visuals of on-orbit intelligence systems, tactical operations, and precision-guided munitions emphasized the continuity of traditional warfighting principles in space.

Intelligence and Space Domain Awareness

Whiting stressed that intelligence is central to space operations due to the evolving threats in the domain. "Everything we do in space must be intelligence led," he said, pointing to advancements in USSPACECOM's Intelligence Directorate and the integration of intelligence capabilities across the Joint Force and allied partners.

Key to this is the Joint Commercial Operations Cell, which leverages data from 15 commercial providers to enhance the Space Surveillance Network's capabilities. Additionally, USSPACECOM seeks to integrate existing platforms, such as the Navy's Aegis destroyer, to bolster Space Domain Awareness.

Expanding Partnerships

The integration of intelligence with information enables precise characterization and tracking of on-orbit activities, which Whiting said is critical to the mission. He highlighted expanded collaboration through the Multinational Force Operation Olympic Defender, now comprising six nations, with France and Germany joining Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. New Zealand also accepted membership earlier this year.

"We live in an information age, and information may be the difference between victory and defeat," Whiting stated. "It's a strategic resource now, and so we've got to be able to leverage our information and protect it."

Operational Priorities and Future Focus

Whiting also outlined the importance of movement, maneuver, and fires in gaining operational advantage and achieving space superiority. He emphasized the need for robust capabilities to protect and defend space systems and influence adversarial targets.

"If we're going to achieve space superiority, which is, of course, foundational to joint force success, we must have improved capability to protect and defend our space systems and influence targets in space," he explained. This priority is reflected in the command's Fiscal Year 27 Integrated Priority List.

Whiting described 2025 as the "Year of Command and Control," emphasizing the need for improved synchronization and deconfliction across the Joint Force. Priorities for the year include refining strategic command concepts, ensuring acquisition aligns with operational needs, and reevaluating the space area of responsibility.

For the first time, USSPACECOM's Critical Asset List includes commercial and allied capabilities, underscoring the increasing reliance on partnerships to ensure operational resilience.

Preparing for Complex Challenges

As threats in the space domain evolve, Whiting urged continued vigilance. "The threats are becoming more lethal and becoming democratized, meaning that they're proliferating, and we're facing more of them," he said.

To maintain superiority, Whiting emphasized the importance of leveraging the entire Joint Force in a unified effort. "This is the common playbook that we all need to focus on to continue to drive success," he concluded.