US Strategic Command held its first Joint Space Doctrine and Tactics Forum last week to work out new concepts and tactics that address orbital threats and challenges, STRATCOM boss Adm. Cecil Haney said Feb. 6 during a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies event in Washington, D.C. Haney said he has tasked the Joint Space Operations Center leadership at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., to adjust US strategic posture on orbit to better “characterize the operational environment,” and work to develop new tools, tactics, partnerships, and “command and control relationships.” During the forum, participants addressed “doctrinal, cultural, programmatic, and organizational issues” in space. The gathering brought together leaders from across the space community for “candid discussions” on how to coordinate efforts and how to identify gaps to better prioritize investments. Haney said it was a good opportunity to see different solutions to enhance exiting satellite capabilities in “congested and contested environments,” and how to maintain advantage in degraded scenarios.
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.