Speaking to conference attendees, General Dan Caine said the U.S. military must adapt to conduct operations from the ocean floor to the space between Earth and the Moon, underscoring a strategic shift toward lunar‑region readiness.
His comments came days after Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink disclosed that the United States has already deployed weapon systems into orbit for space‑control purposes, though he offered no specifics on their capabilities or how they would be used.
Officials from the U.S. Space Force have warned that potential adversaries, especially China, are developing military capabilities beyond the atmosphere that could turn space into a new battlefield, prompting calls for expanded preparedness.
Beijing responded by reiterating its support for the peaceful use of outer space and its opposition to the militarization of space, warning that such moves could spark a new arms race.
The statements signal a broader integration of lunar and deep‑space considerations into U.S. defense planning, with likely impacts on future procurement, alliance coordination and international space‑governance discussions.