In a Senate hearing, Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, nominated to serve as a senior Space Force leader, says space is increasingly becoming a warfighting domain. Schiess and lawmakers emphasize that adversaries prioritize attacks or pressure in space at the outset of conflicts, rather than treating space capabilities as a secondary concern. The testimony points to the Iran war as an example of how space-related activities can be central to early conflict dynamics.
Both outlets report that lawmakers used Schiess’s nomination hearing to highlight the growing importance of space capabilities for sensing, communication, navigation, and other military functions that underpin operations on Earth. The discussion also reflects a broader theme in defense policy: the need to prepare for threats to space systems and to respond effectively when space infrastructure is targeted.
The articles describe Schiess’s view and lawmakers’ questions and comments as focused on how the space domain is contested and how that affects planning, readiness, and deterrence.
