General Raymond

Major Whiting

A ceremony recognizing the newest official branch of the military, the establishment of Combined Force Space Component Command (CFSCC), will take place on October 1, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, Commander, U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM), will preside over a ceremony to recognize the establishment of Combined Force Space Component Command (CFSCC). 

Others who participated in establishing the CFSCC who were appointed by Raymond include Maj. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting as CFSCC Commander, and Brig. Gen. Matthew W. Davidson as CFSCC Deputy Commander; with a mission to plan, integrate, conduct, and assess global space operations in order to deliver combat relevant space capabilities to Combatant Commanders, Coalition partners, the Joint Force, and the Nation. 

CFSCC plans and executes space operations through four distinct and geographically dispersed operations centers, including:

Brig. General Davidson

• the Combined Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB, California 
• Missile Warning Center at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado 
• Joint Overhead Persistent Infrared Center at Buckley AFB, Colorado
• Joint Navigation Warfare Center at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 

Additionally, the CFSCC executes tactical control over globally dispersed Air Force, Army, and Navy space units that command satellites in every orbital regime.

Members of combined armed forces from the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia watch video monitors in the Combined Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Len Wood, Staff, Santa Maria Times

As one of its primary roles, CFSCC plans, tasks, directs, monitors, and assess the execution of combined and joint space operations for theater effects on behalf of the Commander of USSPACECOM in order to directly support ongoing operations in other Combatant Commands. 

The CFSCC provides space capabilities such as space situational awareness, space electronic warfare, satellite communications, missile warning, nuclear detonation detection, environmental monitoring, military ISR, navigation warfare, command and control, and PNT in support of USSPACECOM and the other Combatant Commands. CFSCC also executes command and control of assigned multinational forces in support of Operation Olympic Defender, as directed by USSPACECOM. 

The CFSCC also provides support to, and receives support from, Coalition operations centers including the Australian Space Operations Center, Canadian Space Operations Center, and United Kingdom Space Operations Center. Furthermore, CFSCC builds capacity through Coalition, Commercial, and Civil partnerships to achieve combined force objectives. 

Raymond and Whiting will provide remarks during the ceremony – highlighting the restructuring of the U.S. Department of Defense’s space enterprise in support of modern warfighting requirements, and CFSCC’s critical roles and responsibilities in support of national security objectives.