As the threat to national security continues to evolve, the need to protect assets in space is becoming increasingly important, the chief of U.S. Strategic Command believes. “Space is a warfighting domain just like air, ground, maritime and cyberspace domains,” Gen. John Hyten told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a March 20 hearing.
Hyten provided details of the ongoing project in which the Air Force Space Command and the National Reconnaissance Office are working together to develop “more agile and resilient space capabilities in response to emerging threats.”
STRATCOM continues to work to enhance security with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, France, South Korea and Germany, Hyten said.
“We must continue to build a robust [satellite communications] network that includes our allies and partners and leverages commercial … industries to integrate, synchronize, and share global [satellite communications] resources,” Hyten said.
He also addressed the need to foster strategic deterrence through a modern nuclear-weapons program, cyberspace and other domains.
“There is no war in space, just as there is no war in cyberspace. There is only war, and war can extend to any domain,” Hyten said. “To fight wars in these domains we must develop the appropriate rules of engagement that allow for rapid response and delegate authority to the appropriate level to operate more quickly.”
Hyten also echoed a sentiment lawmakers often hear from Pentagon leadership — that the acquisition, testing and procurement process is too slow.
“The velocity of change required to resolve our operational challenges is far higher than we have attained to date. Our culture must embrace competition, seek higher performance levels, and generate urgency in achieving innovative outcomes,” Hyten said.
