The United States Space Forces – Space (S4S, SPACEFOR–SPACE) is the

United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space force branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces, armed forces of the United States and one of the eight uniformed services of the Unite ...

component

field command The United States Space Force is organized by different units: the Space Staff, the field commands, and the space deltas. The Space Force is organized as one of two coequal military service branches within the Department of the Air Force, the ...

to the

United States Space Command United States Space Command (USSPACECOM or SPACECOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Department of Defense, responsible for military operations in outer space, specifically all operations 100 kilometers (62 miles) and greater ...

. It was formed by combining the

Combined Force Space Component Command The Combined Force Space Component Command (CFSCC) was a U.S.-led multinational subordinate command of United States Space Command. It was responsible for tactical control of American and multinational space forces. The CFSCC's mission was to "pla ...

and Joint Task Force–Space Defense. Its commander also serves as the combined joint force space component commander (CJFSCC). It was activated on 6 December 2023.

History

In 2021, the

began thinking about creating a subordinate command that streamlines space operations. Initial plans were to establish a Joint Force Space Component Command by combining the

(CFSCC) and Joint Task Force–Space Defense (JTF-SD). On 16 November 2022, General James H. Dickinson, U.S Space Command commander, ordered the creation of the Combined Joint Task Force–Space Operations (CJTF-SO), under which CFSCC and JTF-SD reported. U.S. Army Major General Thomas L. James served as acting commander of CJTF-SO until a three-star commander was nominated and confirmed. By 2023, no officer has been nominated as CJTF-SO commander. Meanwhile, plans shifted for the Space Force to create a new component field command to U.S. Space Command, the United States Space Forces – Space (S4S). It would be commanded with a three-star officer with the director of staff of the Space Force being downgraded to a two-star billet to make way for it. On 17 October 2023, U.S. Space Force Major General Douglas Schiess was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as the first commander of S4S. As S4S commander, he would also serve as the combined joint space component commander (CJFSCC). Following the confirmation of Schiess's nomination, S4S was activated on 6 December 2023 by redesignating Space Operations Command West as S4S. CFSCC and JTF-SD were also inactivated. On 31 January 2024, a ceremony presided by General B. Chance Saltzman and General

Stephen Whiting Stephen Newman Whiting (born 14 September 1967) is a United States Space Force general who serves as the commander of the United States Space Command. He previously served as the first commander of Space Operations Command from 2020 to 2024. W ...

was held to commemorate the activation of S4S.

Structure

Generally, the missions of the two deltas can be understood as Space Delta 5 / CSOC, a multinational ("combined") body controlling activities which are going on in space, primarily satellite control; and Space Delta 15, NSDC, carrying out space warfare. Space warfare or space superiority can involve activities actually underway in space; anti-satellite missile launches (historical U.S. systems have included the

Program 437 Program 437 was the second anti-satellite weapons program of the U.S. military.Peebles, Curtis. "High Frontier: The United States Air Force and the Military Space Program", 1997 The US anti-satellite weapons program began development in the ...

and the

ASM-135 ASAT The ASM-135 ASAT is an air-launched anti-satellite multistage missile that was developed by Ling-Temco-Vought's LTV Aerospace division. The ASM-135 was carried exclusively by United States Air Force (USAF) F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft. The pro ...

); and jamming of communications by ground-based means.

History

Structure

List of commanders

References

See also