On the outskirts of Toulouse, France, leaders from the United States and nine of their closest “interstellar allies” recently gathered to strengthen their collective capabilities in space.
The group reportedly discussed the impact of “weapons of mass destruction” floating around the galaxy.
The meeting of the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) Initiative on December 5 sent a clear message that space is increasingly being seen as a new domain that requires strong partnerships across the globe to address some growing modern challenges.
The group of 10 countries – Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States – reaffirmed their teamwork and commitment to foreign deterrence in their space operations, and discussed their military capabilities to potentially fight in outer space.
“Just as our military defends our freedom, rights, and interests on earth, the military of the United States of America will protect and defend our freedom, rights, and interests in space,” said Robert Brose, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Space and Missile Defense, currently performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of War for Space Policy, via press release.
“Our opponents are moving at jaw-dropping speed, and we must match that pace with integrated coalition capabilities that deter aggression and defend our interests,” added Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander, U.S. Space Command and Commander, Multinational Force Operation Olympic Defender.
Hosted at the recently established French Space Command (CDE) facility, the discussions among the 10 nations focused on practical ways to counter rising threats to their missions, including logistical obstacles such as orbital debris and political challenges to global communications.
“We are building a coalition capable of addressing the challenges of a contested space environment,” said U.S. Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force. “To be effective, we must collaborate on our architectures, integrate our training, exercises, and operations, and build a common understanding of the threats we face.”
Representatives from each country also discussed initiatives to prioritize sustainable “space power”, updated federal policies to reflect current threats to space operations, and strategies to boost space-op cooperation among the 10.
The CSpO Initiative began in 2018 with five founding members – the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – and has since expanded, adding France and Germany in 2020; then later welcoming other countries like Italy, Japan, and Norway in 2023.