AURORA, Colo. — The U.S. Space Force’s primary function is to ensure control in, from and to the space domain.
Speaking this week at the 2025 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colo., Space Force Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations, didn’t mince words about what the force is meant to do.
“Domain control is the special province of warfighters, a unique responsibility that only military services hold,” he said. “It is the thing that distinguishes the Navy from the merchant marine and the Air Force from Southwest Airlines. It is the purpose of the Space Force to achieve space superiority.”
The Space Force will achieve that through “space control,” what Saltzman called the service’s newest core function.
“Put simply, space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest, to control the space domain, employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities by disruption and degradation, even destruction, if necessary,” he said.
Space control, Saltzman said, includes things like orbital warfare, electromagnetic warfare, and counterspace operations that can be employed for offensive and defensive purposes.
Saltzman said the force has not always discussed space control openly, but now is the time to do that.
“Why would you have a military space service if not to execute space control?” he asked. “If we’re going to truly embrace our status as space warfighters, then we need to also embrace our fundamental responsibility for space control.”
There’s not yet been a war in space, Saltzman said, which means there are no guardians with space combat experience. However, readiness for a future fight is still the top priority for space warfighters.
“We need to sharpen every one of the components of readiness: personnel, training, equipment and sustainment,” Saltzman said. “If any one of these elements is lacking, then our readiness as a whole is impacted.”
While Space Force leadership is responsible for setting policy and advocating for more people and resources, guardians at the lowest levels must ready themselves for the next fight.
“We know space superiority is an end goal it’s the headquarters’ job to provide the means to achieve it, to create the environment, set the conditions for victory, but it’s the job of the warfighters in the field to define the way to connect the two,” Saltzman said.
He also said the Space Force doesn’t yet have all the best training tools available to those who need them. The service is still in the process of acquiring all the simulators and training capabilities it needs.
“So, we have a disconnect between the plan and the operational reality, between the end and our means,” he said. “That’s where I need your help. I would love to wave a wand and give every crew advanced virtual reality trainer that incorporates the latest and greatest threat data, but I can’t. So, does that mean the solution is to shrug, mark it red, and move on? Absolutely not.”
Instead, Saltzman said, guardians must figure out the best way to give themselves the readiness they need until leaders can provide them with better tools.
“You’re going to have to figure it out because that’s what you do; because that’s what the nation needs you to do,” he said. “If advanced training is nothing more than a whiteboard, whiteboard sessions, talking about tactics and threats, it’s fine. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing.”
While headquarters works to get the best training tools available to guardians, Saltzman said, those service members will need to find other ways to make themselves ready.
When it comes to equipment, he said, every squadron must be accurate and forthcoming with documenting what it needs.
“Every squadron has an equipment table that lists the critical tools it needs to accomplish its mission,” he said. “Are we confident that every table is accurate and complete? Does it include things like infrastructure, the power, the cooling we need to actually employ our weapons systems? If not, why not?”
Without having a complete picture of what units across the force need, Saltzman said, Space Force budgets will never be complete or accurate.
“The headquarters can’t fix problems it doesn’t know about, and as much as I would like to, I’m not on the floor anymore to find out,” he said.
Saltzman said every guardian is a warfighter, no matter what they do.
“Every guardian contributes to Space Force readiness,” he said. “Whether you built the gun, pointed the gun, pulled the trigger, you are a part of a combat capability. That’s what it means to put on the uniform in a military organization, and we all need to take pride in our roles.”
While headquarters leaders advocate for more people, money and policy support, he said guardians across the Space Force must also do their part.
“I need guardians in the field to find a way. This is a partnership. The headquarters will drive everything it can from the top down, but I need you to meet us from the bottom up,” he said. “And I’m confident there will come a day we finally put the institutions processes in place to take the heroics out of our daily activities. But until then, I need your ideas. I need your effort.”
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