Politics · India Bureau
US Military Prepares Forces for Combat Operations Around Moon
The United States military is expanding its strategic focus to include potential combat operations in space and around the lunar region, according to senior Pentagon officials. The shift reflects growing concerns about space-based threats and represents a significant escalation in military preparedness beyond Earth's atmosphere.
LSN India ·
Senior military leadership has signalled that American armed forces must be ready for combat not only in Earth's orbit but also in cislunar space—the region between high Earth orbit and the Moon. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told service members and defense industry representatives at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference near Washington that the military should prepare to "fight, endure and win" across all domains, "from the seabed to cislunar space."
The directive comes after the US military publicly disclosed for the first time that it has deployed weapons systems in space. Lieutenant General Gregory Gagnon, head of the Space Force's Combat Forces Command, explained that the service is adapting its capabilities because "humanity is advancing deeper into space" and the Space Force must help defend American interests in these new frontiers.
The Space Force, created in 2019, represents the newest branch of the US military and has been assigned the primary responsibility for space operations. Military officials stress that technological advancement and the growing strategic importance of space necessitate enhanced preparation for potential conflicts beyond Earth's traditional boundaries. The statements underscore Washington's growing focus on space as a potential theatre of military competition alongside traditional domains.