SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 – U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr., commander of Space Operations Command, and Chief Master Sgt. Caleb Lloyd, SpOC senior enlisted leader, met with Airmen, Guardians and UK counterparts during a visit Aug. 27-30.
The SpOC command team visited RAF Waddington, Feltwell and High Wycombe to engage with members of the Space Force on morale, readiness, and interoperability with host nation partners. A key aspect of the command team’s visit included emphasizing the importance of our allied partnerships and celebrating the contributions of Guardians in furthering the force’s integration with the UK’s national security space program.
“We are working alongside the UK to secure the space domain all while navigating its complexities together,” Miller said. “In order to compete in today’s environment, we will continue to look for ways to strengthen partnerships with key allies like the UK”
A key stop in this visit included seeing the mission of the 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, Detachment 4 first-hand.
“Det. 4 is an all-star team of people who are leveraging the latest technology in global surveillance, partnering with allies and other intelligence agencies to constantly improve,” Miller said.
Since its inception in 2019, the Space Force’s mission has evolved to ensure freedom of action and defend U.S. interests in space. Space capabilities have become an integral part of everyday life and a crucial component underpinning global security and economy.
As the Space Force enters its fifth year to meet the demands of an era of Great Power Competition, the service is transitioning from a focus on establishment, to looking for continued opportunities to sharpen its training, tactics and procedures.
“Guardians and Airmen stationed here provide a level of mission readiness necessary to operate in space in a way that ensures its long-term safety, stability, and sustainability for future generations,” Lloyd said. “The resiliency of these teams in the face of change is fundamental and what we need in our Space Force.”
The Space Force’s close ties with the UK are recognizable in the recent appointment of Royal Air Force Air Marshal Paul Godfrey as a strategic advisor to the Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman. Godfrey will work with Saltzman in the Pentagon and advise on international cooperation in space.
“This is a significant step forward in promoting closer cooperation with an important ally, and it exemplifies the kind of partnership we need to internalize as a service,” Saltzman said in a recent letter to Guardians. “RAF Air Marshal Godfrey’s arrival is unprecedented, and it pushes the boundaries of what it means to be integrated by design.”
Throughout the visit, the SpOC command team shared their vision for the Space Force’s future and fostered an open dialogue with each Airman and Guardian met.
“Our priorities remain clear,” Miller said. “Integration with our allies is key; by working together, we strengthen our capabilities and ensure a secure future in space.”
By Senior Airman Renee Nicole S.N. Finona