US general: military must prepare to fight around the Moon
The chair of the Joint Chiefs warned yesterday that U.S. forces should be ready for conflict from the seabed to the space between Earth and the Moon.
The top U.S. military adviser to President Donald Trump said yesterday that American forces must prepare for possible fighting not only in Earth orbit but also around the Moon.
General Den Kejn, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the remark at a conference on aerospace, space and cybersecurity shortly after U.S. officials for the first time acknowledged they had deployed weapons in space.
Space Force expanding its remit
Kejn said the military should adapt now so it can be, in his words, "prepared to fight, to endure and to win — from the seabed to the space between the Earth and the Moon."
The U.S. Space Force, the newest branch of the American armed forces created by President Trump in 2019, is already preparing for operations in space and around the Moon, senior officers said at the conference.
"Humanity is pushing ever deeper into space, and the mission of the Space Force is to help the United States be prepared to defend its interests," said Lieutenant General Gregory Gagnon, commander of the Space Force's command for combat forces. Gagnon added that U.S. intelligence has warned potential adversaries are attempting to expand warfare into space.
"Our potential adversaries, like China, are actively conducting activities in various parts of space," Gagnon said. Observers note these statements conflict with long-standing international treaties and understandings that the use of space should be peaceful and that space remain demilitarized.
Photo: EPA-EFE/Isaac Fontana EPA-EFE/Isaac Fontana
