The US-China space race is going where no war has gone before

The US-China space race is moving beyond Earth's orbit, with American troops being told to prepare for possible combat around the Moon.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told service members and industry officials at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference outside Washington that the US military needs to be prepared to “fight, endure and win” from the seabed to cislunar space, AP reported.

Cislunar space refers to the region between high Earth orbit and the Moon. Caine's comments come days after Air Force Secretary Troy Meink revealed that the US has deployed “on-orbit space control weapons”, the first such public acknowledgement by the US military.


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The US Space Force, the newest branch of the US military, is also preparing for operations around the Moon. Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, head of its Combat Forces Command, said the expansion was necessary as humanity moves deeper into space and the US seeks to defend its interests there.

US points to China as space threat

Gagnon said US intelligence agencies had warned that potential adversaries were seeking to extend warfare into space. He specifically pointed to China, saying the People's Republic of China was pursuing activities and capabilities in different parts of space.

China established its own military space troops in 2024, tasked with strengthening its ability to manage space crises.

Beijing has objected to the latest US moves.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China supports the peaceful use of outer space and opposes the weaponisation, militarisation and an arms race in space. He urged the US to stop expanding its military preparations in outer space.

The US has also said that it needs to prepare for potential threats as military activity in space expands.

Space weapons raise treaty questions

The US disclosures have also revived questions over how military activity in space fits with international agreements.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by both the US and China, says celestial bodies such as the Moon should be used “exclusively for peaceful purposes”. It also prohibits placing nuclear weapons in space and makes countries liable for damage caused by their space objects.

The treaty does not clearly settle whether the deployment of other types of weapons in space, or possible military operations around the Moon, would violate its provisions.

Gagnon said the US Space Force would continue to conduct “safe and responsible space operations” across all areas of space. He did not say whether the Space Force or the broader US military has a policy on using bullets or projectiles in space.

US plans to expand Space Force

The US is also planning a significant expansion of its Space Force.

Gagnon said the force aims to double in size over the next five years to roughly 25,000 service members. About two-thirds of the additional personnel would be focused on the Combat Forces Command.

The US military says its growing space capabilities are intended to help defend the country and create deterrence.

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The latest announcements mark a new phase in the US military's approach to space, with its focus extending from Earth's orbit to the region around the Moon as China and other potential adversaries develop their own space capabilities.

(With inputs from The Associated Press)