MARCH 29, 2024 – Lt. Col. Deane L. Lake assumed command of U.S. Space Forces Central Combat Detachment 3-1 during an activation and assumption of command ceremony at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 12.
CDet 3-1 provides Command and Control for SPACECENT teams in the region that provide space-based capabilities such as missile warning detection, ensuring reliable communications and GPS.
The Space Operations Center operates 24 hours a day and delivers information gathered from those capabilities to U.S. and coalition forces providing security in the region.
The SOC is co-located at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, increasing the speed with which that information can flow to friendly actors in the region.
“This is the first Space Force combat detachment to activate in any Space Field Component Command, CDet 3-1,” said Col. Christopher S. Putman, SPACECENT commander. “Guardians will play an integral part in U.S. efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. This new command provides SPACECENT a forward deployed element that can exercise the command and control necessary to accomplish the mission and properly care for our deployed Guardians.”
According to Lake, CDet 3-1 ensures SPACECENT can deploy Guardians that are prepared for battle and can handle obstacles in the space domain.
“Activating this combat detachment is a big step toward normalizing force presentation and organizes our Guardians in theater into one unit, focused on providing command and control for SPACECENT,” Lake said.