U.S. Army Gen. James Dickinson, U.S. Space Command commander, released his Commander’s Strategic Vision during a command town hall Jan. 28.

During the town hall, Dickinson set the baseline for the command’s mission, vision, key tasks as well as identifying four Space Truths. However, Dickinson made clear the document is intended not only for USSPACECOM personnel, but also so the American people, allies and partners and competitors understand the critical mission of the command.

“The intended audience is both internal and external,” Dickinson said. “The objective is to set the stage for USSPACECOM personnel to develop and sustain a warfighting mindset and rally behind a unified mission while also making crystal clear to our warriors, our allies and partners, the American people and our adversaries that USSPACECOM is prepared to protect and defend the space domain.”

The commander’s strategic vision outlines how competitors are developing, testing and deploying counter space capabilities and evolving their military doctrines to extend conflict into space. In the process, they are challenging U.S. security and prosperity and turning a once-peaceful environment into a warfighting domain.

To ensure USSPACECOM efforts are streamlined to achieving the command’s objectives, Dickinson directed the following key tasks:

  • Understanding competition;
  • Building the command to compete and win;
  • Maintaining key relationships;
  • Maintaining digital superiority;
  • Integrating commercial and interagency organizations

“U.S. and allied militaries use space systems to connect, warn, guide and inform decisions across the entire spectrum of conflict from space to the last tactical mile,” Dickinson said. “U.S. Space Command will not sit back and watch — we’re going to act. We are going to deter conflict from extending into space and respond decisively if deterrence fails.”  

The command recognizes retaining space superiority requires a combined approach. Strengthening alliances and building new partnerships are foundational to global prosperity, which is not only powered by space, but is also heavily reliant on the free flow of information from and through space.

“USSPACECOM is a team of warfighters prepared to fight and win in combat to preserve United States and allied space superiority,” Dickinson said. “We will outthink and outmaneuver our competitors and if necessary, dominate through sustained, comprehensive U.S. space power to ensure there is never a day without space.