US Space Force Grapples With Readiness Amidst China, Russia Threat in Space

At the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, two senior enlisted leaders of the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command took the stage. Their conversation, held on April 10, 2025, laid bare the stakes of a rapidly evolving domain. Space, once a realm of exploration, now pulses with strategic tension. The United States, alongside its allies and adversaries, is racing to secure its place in this contested frontier.

The U.S. Space Force, established in 2019, has grown into a pivotal player in national security. Its mission is clear: to protect American interests in space while equipping forces to deter and, if necessary, fight in a domain critical to modern life. From GPS to global communications, space underpins everything from military operations to daily commerce. Yet, as threats mount, the service faces pressure to prove its worth.

Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna, the Space Force’s top enlisted leader, emphasized the service’s role as a force provider. It builds and refines capabilities—satellites, training, and personnel—before handing them to U.S. Space Command for operational use. This division of labor, while efficient, underscores a broader challenge: ensuring Guardians, the service’s personnel, are ready for the complexities of space warfare.

Training lies at the heart of the Space Force’s mission. Bentivegna stressed the need to prepare Guardians for real-world threats. Exercises like Space Flag 25-1, held in late 2024, brought together 500 participants to simulate contested environments. These drills, the largest in the service’s history, test everything from mission planning to tactical execution, using advanced simulations to mirror adversary tactics.

Yet gaps remain. Research highlights a shortfall in joint planning and command expertise among Space Force officers. Many receive only basic training early on, with advanced instruction delayed until mid-career. To address this, the Space Training and Readiness Command is rolling out new certification courses and partnering with the Air Force and Navy to create high-fidelity training systems. The goal is to forge Guardians who can adapt to a domain where split-second decisions carry global consequences.

Bentivegna described enlisted Guardians as the service’s warfighters, experts in their systems and collaborative by necessity. Their training emphasizes leadership, problem-solving, and integration—skills vital for navigating a domain where adversaries like China and Russia deploy anti-satellite weapons, jam GPS, and disrupt communications.

Space is no longer a sanctuary. China and Russia have tested destructive anti-satellite weapons, creating debris that threatens orbits. Both nations are developing advanced capabilities, including nuclear anti-satellite systems, signaling their intent to challenge U.S. dominance. The Space Force, in response, is expanding its satellite constellations—adding over 100 in 2025 alone—to boost resilience and secure communications.

The global economy depends on space. Over 90% of advanced military equipment relies on space-based technology, from navigation to missile warning. Civilian life, too, hinges on satellites for banking, shipping, and internet access. A single disruption could ripple across continents, making the Space Force’s role in deterrence critical. Allied cooperation, through initiatives like NATO’s space domain awareness efforts and the Artemis Accords, strengthens this posture, but the risk of escalation looms large.

Commercial players add complexity. Companies like SpaceX provide vital capabilities, as seen in Ukraine, where Starlink enabled battlefield communications. However, the dual-use nature of these assets raises concerns about misuse by adversaries, blurring lines between civilian and military targets. The Space Force is integrating commercial innovations, such as maneuverable satellites, to stay ahead, but the pace of change demands constant adaptation.

Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Simmons, U.S. Space Command’s senior enlisted leader, outlined four pillars of credibility: caliber, competence, capability, and competitiveness. These qualities, he argued, shape how adversaries perceive Guardians. A credible force deters aggression by convincing opponents they will be outmaneuvered and outmatched. Bentivegna echoed this, tying credibility to the Space Force’s six core principles, which declare space a warfighting domain essential to national security.

Deterrence in space is tricky. Unlike traditional domains, space involves unmanned assets and non-kinetic attacks, complicating escalation control. The U.S. relies on resilient systems, clear communication of consequences, and the ability to impose costs—whether through electronic warfare or cross-domain retaliation. Yet, without public red lines, adversaries may probe with low-risk disruptions, as seen in daily GPS jamming by China and Russia.

Allied partnerships amplify deterrence. Multinational initiatives, like Combined Space Operations, project unity and raise the stakes for hostile actions. Simmons emphasized that a Guardian’s acumen and adaptability are key to this credibility, ensuring the U.S. remains steps ahead in a domain where hesitation could prove costly.

The Space Force stands at a pivotal moment. Its rapid growth and modernization reflect the urgency of a contested domain, but challenges persist. Resource constraints, training gaps, and the need for clear rules of engagement demand attention. Bentivegna framed the future not as a burden but as an opportunity, with the service poised to innovate and lead in a domain that shapes global stability.

As space becomes ever more integral to security and prosperity, the Space Force’s ability to train agile, credible Guardians will define its success. The stakes are high: a misstep could disrupt economies or escalate conflicts, while a strong posture could preserve peace. For now, the service is focused on building a force ready for whatever lies beyond the horizon.