Space Force, NATO Commanders Share Threat Perspectives

Generals discuss new space defense domains and the need for global partnerships

Apr. 17, 2026 at 1:05am

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An abstract, avant-garde painting featuring overlapping, fractured geometric shapes and waves of color representing a satellite in orbit, symbolizing the contested and dynamic nature of the space environment.Fractured, geometric imagery captures the contested and rapidly evolving space domain that military commanders must navigate.Colorado Springs Today

U.S. Space Force and NATO commanders discussed the current and future state of new space defense domains during the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. They highlighted growing threats from adversaries, the need for global partnerships, and how the Space Force is enabling joint force integration and freedom of maneuver.

Why it matters

As space becomes an increasingly contested domain, the U.S. Space Force and its global partners are working to monitor, manage, and defend against emerging threats from adversaries. This collaboration is crucial to protecting critical space-based assets and enabling the joint force to operate effectively.

The details

The U.S. Space Force is establishing new component field commands around the world to better integrate space capabilities and support combatant commanders. This includes Spacefor-North, which covers the high north of Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland, and Spacefor-Indo-Pacific, which spans a vast area from 'Hollywood to Bollywood.' The commanders emphasized that the Space Force is a game-changer, enabling freedom of maneuver for the joint force and denying adversaries the use of space to attack.

  • In late 2023, the U.S. Space Force established the S4S component field command.
  • Lt. Gen. Dennis Bythewood assumed his position as S4S commander in November 2025.

The players

Lt. Gen. Dennis Bythewood

Commander of U.S. Space Forces – Space (S4S), a Space Force component field command established in late 2023 to command combat-ready space forces.

Lt. Gen. Guillaume Thomas

Deputy commander of NATO Allied Air Command, emphasizing that NATO is a defensive alliance.

Brig. Gen. Robert Schreiner

Commander of Spacefor-North, the newest Space Force command covering the high north of Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland, down to the territorial integrity of the United States.

Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro

Commander of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific, with an area of responsibility 'from Hollywood to Bollywood and penguins to polar bears.'

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What they’re saying

“That threat regime has continued to grow for the last decades, whether it's jammers coming from a base on the planet, anti-satellite weapons that would take out our capabilities on orbit, orbital satellites that are holding our assets at risks, and all of the cyber domain things that would hit our terrestrial based infrastructure.”

— Lt. Gen. Dennis Bythewood, Commander, U.S. Space Forces – Space (S4S)

“We share our borders with some neighbors that are not so friendly, that are nuclear capable, that engage in active combat with some of our partnership. We also have a neighbor, Iran, where recently we faced a ballistic missile attack. So space is contested in our huge AOR, which goes from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean Sea and to the south border of Turkey.”

— Lt. Gen. Guillaume Thomas, Deputy Commander, NATO Allied Air Command

“Space Force is what enables the joint force freedom of maneuver. It's what denies adversaries the use of space to close kill chains, and it's what protects the joint force from space enabled attack.”

— Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro, Commander, U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific

What’s next

The Space Force and NATO will continue to work closely together to monitor and address emerging threats in the space domain, including through the establishment of new component commands and deepening global partnerships.

The takeaway

As the space domain becomes increasingly contested, the U.S. Space Force and its international allies are taking proactive steps to defend critical space-based assets, enable joint force operations, and deny adversaries the ability to use space to attack. This collaboration is essential to maintaining a strategic advantage in the evolving space environment.