On September 13, Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee about his plans for the future of the Space Force if he is confirmed as the next Chief of Space Operations. Saltzman emphasized the importance of space as a critical domain for U.S. interests and acknowledged that strategic competitors have invested heavily in systems that can disrupt, degrade, and destroy U.S. space capabilities. He pledged to ensure that the Space Force is ready to protect these vital interests from such threats. Saltzman outlined three broad fronts for success: continuing to mature as an independent service by integrating with the Department of Defense’s enterprises, building and enhancing relationships with allies and partners, and innovating new ways to accomplish complex missions.
Saltzman’s priorities align closely with those of Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, who is retiring after serving as the Space Force’s first Chief of Space Operations since December 2019. During the hearing, committee members asked Saltzman about procurement, alternative launch sites, the Space Force’s relationship with other government organizations, and efforts to recruit and train highly skilled personnel.
Despite its small size compared to other military services, the Space Force’s strategic importance is beyond dispute. Saltzman pledged to build on Raymond’s accomplishments and set the service on a path towards advanced capabilities, modern, resilient architectures, and innovative approaches to meet its missions. Saltzman acknowledged that the U.S. is still the greatest spacefaring nation on the planet but expressed concern about the pace at which adversaries are investing in capabilities that could disrupt, degrade, or destroy U.S. on-orbit capabilities. He emphasized the need for innovation, new thinking, a different culture, and new relationships with partners and business to deliver the kinds of capabilities that the nation needs to protect its space capabilities and the joint force from its adversaries.
If confirmed, Saltzman will lead a service that is central to the nation’s defense and a rapidly changing domain. Space is now considered a new and indisputable “warfighting domain,” and the United States, primarily through the Space Force, is focusing heavily on space and adapting to the new conditions. The Space Force’s $24.5 billion budget request for the next fiscal year includes higher levels of spending on weapon system sustainment, a more resilient Global Positioning System, and next-generation satellite communications. The biggest chunk of the budget, $15.8 billion, is devoted to research, development, test, and evaluation.
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