Space Force Activates New Command

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) --

The U.S. Space Force activated a new component field command, Jan. 30 at Peterson Space Force Base.

The command, titled U.S. Space Forces Northern, serves as the Space Force service component to U.S. Northern Command. This is the seventh Space Force service component activation since November of 2020 when Space Forces Indo-Pacific stood up.

"Space Forces Northern is poised to bring the most advanced space capabilities to bear, under General Guillot's authorities, to ensure NORTHCOM can deter, detect, deny, and defeat any threats to the homeland," said Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. "There is no higher calling than protecting your neighbors, your families, and your homeland from harm. These Guardians are the first line of that defense, and I'm confident they will succeed."

Space Force service components provide regionally tailored operational effects to combatant commanders to increase their lethality of forces, sustain freedom to maneuver, enable and support deterrence against adversaries and support order mission requirements.

"As technological and numeric threats to the nation intensify, Space Forces Northern will bring crucial capabilities to the homeland defense mission, including enhanced domain awareness; missile warning and tracking; positioning, navigation and timing; satellite communications; and the capacity for orbital and electromagnetic warfare," said Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command.

SPACEFOR-NORTH will guide development and delivery of space capabilities that enable joint lethality and effectiveness for homeland defense. Additionally, in coordination with U.S. Space Command, they will design future requirements for space capabilities or effects required to achieve USNORTHCOM objectives.

"Increased global use of space requires combatant commanders to develop competencies in space operations," said Brig. Gen. Robert Schreiner, SPACEFOR-NORTH commander. "SPACEFOR-NORTH will focus on delivering distinct space capabilities to USNORTHCOM in order to preserve freedom of action and provide independent options in, from and to space."

To date, six Space Force Service components have been activated. This included Space Forces Indo-Pacific (Nov. 2022), Central (Dec. 2022), Space (Dec. 2023) and Europe-Africa (Dec. 2023). This includes subordinate components Space Forces Korea (Dec. 2022) and Japan (Dec. 2024) under Space Forces Indo-Pacific.