Schiess confirmed as next chief of space operations

The Senate on Aug. 6 confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess to be the next Chief of Space Operations, elevating the career space officer to lead the U.S. Space Force at a time when activity in orbit is increasingly tied to national defense. Schiess, the service’s deputy chief for operations, will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman and join the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“It will be the honor of my professional career to lead the Guardians of the United States Space Force,” Schiess told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on July 16. “I will work tirelessly to ensure our Guardians are ready, our capabilities are resilient, our partnerships remain strong, and our service is worthy of the trust placed in us by the American people.”

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink welcomed the confirmation. “I am incredibly pleased with the Senate’s confirmation of Lieutenant General Doug Schiess as our next Chief of Space Operations,” Meink said. “General Schiess is a visionary leader who will ensure the Space Force remains equipped and our Guardians remain trained to deter conflict while accelerating the delivery of next-generation capabilities that keep the nation ahead of evolving threats.”

Saltzman, who is preparing to retire after more than three decades in uniform, praised his successor. “Lieutenant General Schiess is an exceptional leader and brings the experience and vision needed to guide the service into its next chapter,” Saltzman said. “I look forward to watching the Space Force continue to thrive under his leadership.”

Schiess used his confirmation hearing to frame the challenges facing the force and to lay out priorities for deterrence and modernization. “The space domain is increasingly contested and vital to modern warfare,” Schiess testified. “Our purpose is not confrontation, but deterrence, ensuring no adversary believes aggression against the United States will succeed.”

He also outlined what he called a three-part mandate for organizing, training and equipping Guardians in support of the broader U.S. military. “We must defend our nation’s space capabilities so that the Joint Force can project power; we must protect the Joint Force from space-enabled attack; and we must deliver the capabilities that the Joint Force needs to prosecute the full range of its missions,” Schiess said.

Created in 2019, the Space Force has had two Chiefs of Space Operations to date—Gen. John “Jay” Raymond and Saltzman—making Schiess the service’s third top officer since its inception. Transition details were not immediately announced.