Top US military officials including Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine stated that American forces must prepare for combat extending from Earth’s orbit to the moon, especially “cislunar space.”
Addressing military personnel and defense industry leaders at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference near Washington, Trump’s top military adviser urged the armed services to adapt so the military “is prepared to fight, endure and win … from the seabed to cislunar space.”
Caine’s remarks come after Air Force Secretary Troy Meink publicly acknowledged that the US deployed on-orbit space weapons in Earth orbit, marking the first official confirmation of space-based armaments.
The US Space Force argues these measures are necessary to deter potential foes, specifically highlighting activities by China and Russia, who are allegedly seeking to extend warfare into space.
According to Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, head of the force’s Combat Forces Command, “humanity is advancing deeper into space and the Space Force’s job is to help be prepared to defend US interests.”
It is reported that China created its own dedicated military space unit in 2024, aimed at enhancing its capability to manage conflicts in space.
The US Space Force plans to double its personnel over the next five years, aiming for approximately 25,000 service members to support its growing combat and defense operations.
Gagnon said, “We have capabilities in the military because we are preparing to defend the nation. The reason we have the capabilities is to help create deterrence.”
However, China took a swipe at the US announcements, urging Washington to stop militarizing space. While recent UN efforts to pass anti-militarization resolutions have stalled due to vetoes and failed counter-resolutions between the US, Russia, and other nations.
Moon as Earth’s next battleground
Earlier this month, Chinese researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi’an have discovered a vulnerable area cislunar space. This is the vast region influenced by the combined gravitational fields of Earth and the moon.
According to scientists, the cislunar space is vulnerable to conflicts as Spacecraft could utilize the moon’s complex gravitational environment to hide their positions, follow unpredictable trajectories, and station themselves near critical “choke points” to intercept rivals and control essential routes.
