STARCOM Leaders Highlight Guardian Readiness and Space Superiority at AFA’s Air, Space & C

STARCOM Leaders Highlight Guardian Readiness and Space Superiority at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference

U.S. Space Force leaders participate in the “Achieving Space Superiority” panel at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 24, 2025. The panel featured U.S. Space Force Maj. Gen. James E. Smith, Commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, Commander of U.S. Space Forces–Space, and Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr., Commander of Space Operations Command. The leaders highlighted the role of training, partnerships, and innovation in securing space superiority and shaping support to the Joint Force. (U.S. Space Force photo by Isaac Blancas)

STARCOM Leaders Highlight Guardian Readiness and Space Superiority at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference

U.S. Space Force Maj. Gen. James E. Smith, Commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, speaks during the “Achieving Space Superiority” panel at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 24, 2025. Smith highlighted STARCOM’s role in preparing Guardians through advanced training and readiness to ensure the Joint Force can operate and prevail in contested space environments. (U.S. Space Force photo by Isaac Blancas)

STARCOM Leaders Highlight Guardian Readiness and Space Superiority at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference

U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. Matthew S. Cantore, deputy commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, moderates the panel “Delivering Training Capabilities for Space Superiority” with industry leaders at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 22, 2025. The discussion highlighted the role of training, partnerships, and innovation in preparing Guardians to operate in contested space.

STARCOM Leaders Highlight Guardian Readiness and Space Superiority at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference

Published Sept. 26, 2025
By Brandon Kalloo Sanes
Space Training and Readiness Command

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — -- Space Training and Readiness Command leaders underscored the importance of building combat-ready Guardians during this week’s Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, held Sept. 22-24.

The annual conference brings together Guardians, Airmen, industry and international partners to discuss the future of air and space power, promoting innovation and collaboration across the national security community.

STARCOM commander Maj. Gen. James E. Smith, joined Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr., commander of Space Operations Command, and Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Forces-Space, for a panel discussion titled Achieving Space Superiority. The generals focused on how the Space Force is integrating realistic training and preparing Guardians to operate in contested conditions. They emphasized the need for a force that can think and act quickly against real-world adversaries.

“For example, resilient architectures and proliferated constellations require our Guardians to think differently than we ever have in the past,” Smith said. “That’s why we redesigned our Officer Training Course. Instead of just making a space operator, or a cyber operator, or an intel operator, our Guardian [officers] are trained in space, cyber, intel and acquisitions so that they can move at the speed that we’re going to have to move in this domain given the threats we are going to face.”

Smith referenced the significance of space as a now global, contested domain. He also highlighted the role STARCOM plays in providing training to Guardians who will support the joint force and partners.

“The character of war is changing fast and Guardians must be ready to fight – not just in space, but across space, cyber and intel,” Smith said. “For STARCOM it’s about ensuring every Guardian and every system we deliver is combat credible. Because at the end of the day, our job is to ensure we have the capabilities and the people that can deter a war – and if called upon, win.”

Delivering Space Superiority
Similarly, Brig. Gen. Matthew S. Cantore, STARCOM’s deputy commander, moderated a panel titled Delivering Training Capabilities for Space Superiority. He was joined by industry leaders who discussed the need for clearer acquisition processes that allow information to flow more effectively.

The discussion emphasized collaboration among manufacturing partners and the importance of engaging companies of all sizes. The goal would be to make it easier for businesses to enter the conversation and bring innovative solutions to the warfighter.

“Industry plays a critical role, we need their capability,” Cantore said. “This partnership is essential to ensure we get our requirements known and understood but then delivered to our Guardians to prepare.”

Cantore and the panelists all agreed time is critical to ensuring Guardians receive the training and equipment needed to protect operations and access to space.

“The fight for the future is upon us,” Cantore said. “We know that the next major conflict is going to require space superiority. Whether it’s a strike like Operation Midnight Hammer or large-scale continuous combat operations, we need to be ready.”

STARCOM, headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, is responsible for preparing every Guardian through training, education, testing, wargaming, and with its ranges and aggressors. Comprised of five Deltas, its mission is to develop space warfighters who can fight and win in the space domain.