CMSSF visit to PACOM underscores growing space integration

Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna concluded a two-and-a-half-week swing through the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility from June 8 to 26, meeting with Guardians, Airmen, and allied counterparts to gauge readiness and the progress of space integration across the theater.

The trip included stops at Yokota Air Base, Misawa Air Base and Kadena Air Base in Japan; Osan Air Base in South Korea; and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. At each location, Bentivegna observed ongoing operations that Space Force leaders say illustrate how U.S. Space Forces Pacific is embedding space-based capabilities into broader regional planning and execution.

“Our Guardians out here in the Pacific are getting after it every single day.” Bentivegna said. “Whether they’re safeguarding critical military satellite communications, mitigating interference, or monitoring theater missile warning and tracking operations, these Guardians are the driving force securing the space domain. They’re delivering the vital capabilities our Joint Force relies on to deter aggression in this theater.”

While site visits highlighted day-to-day tactical performance, the tour centered on the continued development of Theater Space Operations Centers, or TSpOCs—command-and-control nodes intended to knit together space capabilities at the theater level. First put through their paces during exercise Keen Edge 26, the TSpOC model is being refined to deliver integrated and assured space support, streamline command and control of theater-focused space assets, and sharpen space domain awareness across the Pacific.

“What we saw during KEEN EDGE proved that to fight and win, we need robust, dedicated command and control for space,” said Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro, SPACEPAC commander. “Our Guardians are taking that framework and using it right now to deliver real-world effects for the combatant commander.”

To bolster responsiveness across a vast region, SPACEPAC is working with U.S. Space Forces–Korea and U.S. Space Forces–Japan to define requirements for operations centers tailored to their missions. That effort includes scalable, mobile solutions intended to sustain space support during distributed or contingency operations.

“What SPACEPAC, USSPACEFOR-KOR, and USSPACEFOR-JPN are building out here is setting the blueprint for the entire Space Force,” Bentivegna emphasized. “We are empowering our space professionals at every level to execute the mission. Tailoring these ops centers ensures our Guardians have exactly what they need to stay agile, mobile, and ready to respond across the region.”

Space Force officials say the focus on flexible, resilient command-and-control structures is aimed at ensuring the service can secure the space domain and protect the joint force throughout the Indo-Pacific, where demand for space-enabled communications, navigation, missile warning, and battlespace awareness continues to grow.