In January 2024, General Stephen Whiting took over as commander of the U.S. Space Command. Gen. Whiting, a 2024 Wash100 Award recipient, spoke about both his priorities in the new role and the threats our nation faces in space during a change of command ceremony last month.
Gen. Whiting will deliver a keynote speech during the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Space Summit on March 5. Don’t miss your chance to meet government leaders, expand your network and unlock potential business opportunities at this can’t-miss summit. Register here.
“Our highest priority is to preserve freedom of action in space, and our moral responsibility is ensuring delivery of space capabilities to the Joint Force to enable all-domain dominance, to protect the joint force from space-enabled attack and to lead and win the space fight by achieving space superiority,” Whiting said in January.
During his speech, Gen. Whiting acknowledged that he is assuming responsibility of SPACECOM during an era defined by growing competition with global powers like the People’s Republic of China and Russia. He warned that their “increasingly assertive actions have made more contested” and have created threats to our national space power and critical space infrastructure.
In response to these threats, Gen. Whiting said, “We will provide a formidable deterrent against potential adversary aggression and we will be prepared to win across all levels of conflict, through the employment of military spacepower and integrated transregional missile defense support capabilities, while maximizing our [partnerships] with allies, partners, our interagency teammates, commercial industry and academia.”
Gen. Whiting also emphasized the importance of collaboration between Space Command and the Space Force.
“No doubt there are tensions between services and combatant commands,” he said. “But let me be clear, maximizing the outcomes for the nation in space ahead of any organizational equities will be my priority.”
Hear more from Gen. Whiting at the 2024 Space Summit hosted by the Potomac Officers Club on March 5. Register here to save your spot.
