APRIL 11, 2025 – Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman gave insights into a new, soon-to-be-released International Partnership Strategy to unify like-minded nations’ efforts in the space domain during his keynote at the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, April 9.
Saltzman described this strategy as a critical evolution in response to growing threats and rapid technological advancements, declaring space to be “the central nervous system of joint and combined operations.”
The document will serve as a roadmap for building a “seamless multinational space coalition,” with core objectives to empower partners, improve interoperability, and fully integrate allied capabilities.
“Space superiority is now a prerequisite for battlefield success,” Saltzman stated. “Regardless of whether or not you believe space superiority will win the next war; it must be recognized that we will most certainly lose without it.”
Saltzman noted that space capabilities are integral to global military operations, enabling everything from air superiority to maritime coordination. He cautioned that America’s critical advantages, like space, could turn into “strategic vulnerabilities” if not safeguarded.
The new strategy prioritizes international integration in three main areas: capitalizing on partner strengths, improving data and system interoperability, and aligning service-level force development across allied nations. It also builds on previous Department of Defense and Space Force international and commercial space initiatives.
Saltzman cited examples of successful cooperation, including the Joint Commercial Operations Cell and the increasing involvement of allied nations in ride share satellite programs. He also highlighted the work of Guardians supporting U.S. Southern Command in partnering with Latin American countries for tracking, disaster relief, and countering foreign interference.
“Spacepower is the ultimate team sport,” he said. “The domain is too big, too complex, too dynamic for a single nation to secure alone.”
Additionally, Saltzman described plans to develop the Objective Force, an ever-evolving document that details the Space Force’s future operating environment and outlines investment priorities to global partners and industry.
“The real power is in sharing it broadly,” he said. “It will shape national investment, inform research and development, and provide a starting point for collaboration and innovation.”
Saltzman also advocated for faster declassification of space intelligence to improve allied coordination and announced plans to embed more international partners into the Space Force’s force design processes and exercises.
Reflecting on the 66th anniversary of NASA’s Mercury Seven, Saltzman connected their legacy of innovation and cooperation to the Space Force’s mission today.
“The Mercury Seven were pioneers of space exploration,” he said. “Today’s Guardians carry that legacy forward — not just by protecting the space domain, but by building the partnerships that will define its future.”
With increasing global interest and mounting security challenges in space, Saltzman said the success of the Space Force will depend not just on technological edge but on collective resolve.
“This is our moment to lead — not alone, but together,” he said.
By Staff Sgt. Emmeline James
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs