In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, US Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said competition in space is accelerating rapidly.
According to Saltzman, the US military must prepare for a future in which countries such as China try to challenge Washington’s advantage in the space domain. One of the key priorities, he said, is preventing potential adversaries from using space-based capabilities against the United States.
He added that this will require more advanced missile technology and modern missile-defense systems, including projects such as the Golden Dome. Saltzman said new systems are already being designed with emerging threats and future conflict scenarios in mind.
The general noted that other states understand the strategic value of US space capabilities and are seeking ways to undermine them. If those advantages are successfully neutralized, he said, America’s rivals could gain a military edge.
Saltzman also argued that China is seeking to move beyond a regional role in the western Pacific and establish itself as a global power. In his assessment, Beijing’s space programs are increasingly focused on worldwide intelligence gathering, early warning and the projection of military power.
Russia, he said, follows a different approach. Moscow remains more focused on defending its own region, dealing with NATO and maintaining capabilities across near and distant frontiers. At the same time, Saltzman acknowledged that Russia also operates space systems with global reach, although their missions and strategic priorities differ from those of China.