US Joint Chiefs Chairman Calls on Military to Prepare for Combat Near the Moon

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said Thursday that American armed forces must adapt now to be ready to fight, survive, and win from the ocean floor to near-lunar space. He addressed military personnel and defense industry representatives at an aviation, space, and cyberspace conference.

Near-Moon Combat

Space Force Lieutenant General Gregory Gagnon separately confirmed to reporters that units are already training for combat operations in space and near the Moon. Humanity is venturing further and further into space, so the Space Force must be prepared, Gagnon said.

Expanding Military Domain

The statement reflects a broader shift in US military doctrine, extending traditional domains out to cislunar space. This follows growing concerns about Chinese and Russian activities in orbit and the strategic value of the Lagrange points and lunar orbit.