Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess publicly outlined his three command priorities for the U.S. Space Force on Sept. 17: forging the Guardian ethos, arming and equipping the force, and integrating Guardian combat power at scale.
The priorities statement serves as a strategic roadmap for the newest military branch and will drive decisions on personnel, acquisition, training and budget allocation, according to the Space Force. Gen. Schiess is the service’s top uniformed officer.
The first priority, forging the Guardian ethos, focuses on building the organizational culture and identity of a service branch that is less than a decade old and still establishing its traditions and professional norms distinct from the Air Force, from which it was carved.
Arming and equipping the force, the second priority, addresses the Space Force’s need to field new weapons systems and defensive capabilities as threats to U.S. satellites from China and Russia grow more sophisticated. Anti-satellite weapons, electronic warfare and cyber threats to space systems have all been identified as growing risks by Pentagon assessments.
The third priority, integrating Guardian power at scale, reflects the challenge of making space capabilities relevant across the entire joint force, from Army ground operations to Navy maritime missions. Space-based systems provide GPS navigation, secure communications and missile warning data that all military branches depend upon.
For Americans, the priorities underscore the Space Force’s role in protecting infrastructure that extends beyond the military. GPS satellites managed by the Space Force enable civilian navigation, banking systems, agricultural technology and emergency services across the country.
Gen. Schiess’s priorities are expected to shape the Space Force’s budget requests and programmatic decisions for the coming fiscal years.