China’s growing armada of spy satellites is pushing Space Force to go on the offensive

The Quad-band Large Aperture Antenna and Ground Multi-band Terminal satellite dishes are used by space range operators during an exercise near Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, Nov. 2, 2022.. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Charles Rivezzo)

By JOSEPH TREVITHICK and HOWARD ALTMAN • Feb 27, 2026

A top U.S. Space Force general sees a clear need to be able to attack threats in space, not just to protect friendly satellites, but to challenge China’s dramatically expanded surveillance capabilities in orbit. Hundreds of satellites give the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) immense capacity to track and target American forces. The main Space Force unit charged with the “orbital warfare” mission is now exploring new ways to maneuver using an experimental satellite, which could lead to future offensive and defensive capabilities.

Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, head of what is now called U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command (CFC), talked about what will be required to provide “space superiority” in the future at a roundtable, at which TWZ was in attendance, on the sidelines of the Air & Space Forces Association’s (AFA) annual Warfare Symposium yesterday.

The Space Force redesignated its Space Operations Command (SpOC) as CFC last November, specifically to put more emphasis on its warfighting functions. U.S. military officials have been stressing that space is now a warfighting domain where active conflict could occur for years now. This, in turn, has also led to increasingly open discussions about new anti-satellite capabilities.