U.S. Joint Chiefs chair says military must prepare for combat in cislunar space

Washington, D.C. — At the Air, Space and Cyber Conference held outside the capital, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine warned that U.S. forces must be ready to fight not only in Earth’s orbit but also in cislunar space, the region extending from the Moon to Earth. His remarks came hours after the Pentagon publicly confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, a disclosure that marks a significant shift in the United States’ military posture.

Gen. Caine urged service members and defense‑industry partners to adapt “now so we are prepared to fight, endure and win… from the seabed to cislunar space,” emphasizing the need for training, doctrine and procurement to address a broader spectrum of domains that includes the lunar environment. The comments signal an expanding focus on space and lunar operations as integral components of future U.S. defense strategy.