U.S. Central Command has activated a U.S. Space Force component that will be tasked with coordinating space operations and services, such as missile warning, positioning, navigation and timing and satellite communication, within the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
The unit, known as U.S. Space Forces-Central, will be based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida and headed by Space Force Col. Christopher Putman, CENTCOM said Friday.
“Just as the evolution of space as a warfighting domain necessitated the establishment of a separate service, USSPACEFORCENT provides CENTCOM a subordinate command focused solely and continuously on space integration across the command, within all domains and all components,” Putman commented.
CENTCOM is the latest combatant command to establish a space unit. In late November, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command launched an operational space component in Hawaii.
The INDOPACOM space segment is led by Brig. Gen. Anthony Mastalir and comprised of 21 military and civilian employees.
