WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Space Force has unequivocally proven its mettle as a “combat credible” component of the American military, actively supporting U.S. forces in achieving complex objectives during the recent conflict with Iran. This assertion comes directly from Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, who highlighted the crucial role played by Space Force troops.

Guardians on the Invisible Front Line

Speaking at the Space Foundation’s 41st Space Symposium on April 15, Gen. Saltzman detailed how Space Force guardians are executing critical space-centric missions as part of Operation Epic Fury. These operations, he noted, often occur under challenging conditions, with some guardians even taking indirect fire from Iranian munitions.

Saltzman provided specific examples of their operational impact:

• Electronic warfare specialists launched attacks against Iranian systems.
• A pair of guardians swiftly oversaw the redeployment of an electronic warfare system into the CENTCOM area of responsibility, significantly aiding mission planning.
• One guardian maintained real-time tracking of every Space Force member in CENTCOM, navigating through enemy fire, power outages, and communication blackouts.

“When people see the U.S. military carry out joint operations around the globe and recently in the war with Iran, they are seeing combat spacepower at work,” Saltzman emphasized, underscoring the asymmetric advantages gained from controlling the high ground of space.

From Theory to Combat Readiness

Just a few years ago, the Space Force was in its nascent stages, grappling with theoretical debates, doctrinal development, and even uniform design. Today, Saltzman proudly declared, “We’re a combat credible force. Allied by design, collaborating with industry, executing combat operations around the globe, every day, on the invisible front line.”

This transformation has been acknowledged by other military leaders. Last month, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper hinted at the Space Force’s vital role in degrading Iranian capabilities and safeguarding American forces, though specifics were then limited. Saltzman’s recent remarks offer an unprecedented look into the Space Force’s combat operations and its seamless integration with the broader military.

Expanding Missions and Emerging Threats

Beyond its direct involvement in the Iran conflict, the Space Force’s mission portfolio includes crucial early warning and missile detection operations, satellite communications, and electronic warfare. The service has been diligently building out its terrestrial and orbital infrastructure, including satellites and various weapon systems, to develop tactics for what it terms “orbital warfare.”

Saltzman also shed light on the evolving threat landscape:

“Our battlefield is filled with hazards like ground-based microwave and laser weapons, all capable of damaging satellites overhead; jammers that can disrupt GPS and communications satellites; and even threats of nuclear-capable anti-satellite weapons on-orbit. And that’s just what we face today,” he warned.

Prior Engagements: The Venezuela Operation

These revelations follow three months after military leaders disclosed the Space Force’s operational involvement in an attack on Venezuela. That mission, which led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, saw guardians collaborate with other military branches to disrupt Venezuelan defenses. Notably, the Space Force and U.S. Cyber Command worked in tandem to clear a path for American special operations teams to breach Caracas airspace. The Pentagon later confirmed that the Space Force’s element within U.S. Southern Command had been operating informally for weeks prior to its official establishment.