WASHINGTON — U.S. Space Command’s top general voiced support for the U.S. Army’s efforts to expand its space expertise, pushing back against criticism that such initiatives encroach on Space Force territory.
Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, addressed the issue during a Q&A session at a National Defense Industrial Association conference in Colorado earlier this week. His comments came in response to a recent op-ed by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, a think tank affiliated with the Air & Space Forces Association, which argued that the Army’s latest space initiatives unnecessarily duplicate Space Force capabilities.
The Mitchell Institute’s article appeared just days after news reports highlighted the Army’s plans to boost its space expertise, including discussions by Army officials about the service’s evolving role in space-based operations and support for a new space-focused career field for enlisted soldiers.
“The nation does not need the Army to duplicate those capabilities,” wrote Mitchell Institute senior fellows Charles Galbreath and Jennifer Reeves in a piece published by Breaking Defense. “In truth, the Army replicating Space Force operations within its service wastes precious resources, undermines jointness.”
Whiting said he disagreed with this perspective. According to a transcript of his remarks obtained by SpaceNews, Whiting emphasized that space expertise does not have to be exclusive to the Space Force.
“As a combatant commander I want capabilities,” he said. The expertise of the Army and the other services is “absolutely vital” to military operations in the space domain, Whiting added.
Jointness in space operations
Whiting noted that U.S. Space Command benefits from the expertise of all the branches of the military, and pointed out that the Army needs space expertise for maneuver warfare.
U.S. Space Command is now run by a Space Force general but Whiting’s predecessor was an Army officer, underscoring the multi-service nature of space operations.
Whiting praised the Army’s collaboration with the Space Force in recent years, citing a smooth transition of satellite systems previously run by the Army to Space Force control. “I was a part of that transition over the last two years, and they were fantastic partners,” he said.
The Army has also transferred control of the Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) mission to the Space Force, further consolidating space operations within the new branch. JTAGS units operate the Pentagon’s missile-warning satellites.
Whiting’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about the Army’s plans to create a new space-focused career field for enlisted soldiers. The Mitchell Institute said such moves constitute “encroachment” on Space Force responsibilities.
This debate echoes historical tensions within the Pentagon, where branches often compete for control over emerging technologies and budget allocations. Before the establishment of the Space Force, disagreements arose between proponents of the new branch and those who argued that space units should remain within the Air Force. Years before that, the Air Force and the Army feuded over control of high-flying drones, culminating in a decision by the Pentagon to prevent any single service from monopolizing drone capabilities.
