Gen. Schiess Sworn In as Space Force's Third Chief of Space Operations
Gen. Douglas A. Schiess has been sworn in as the third Chief of Space Operations, succeeding Gen. Chance Saltzman. Schiess takes command as the service accelerates proliferated LEO architectures, commercial technology integration, and space domain defense posture.
Gen. Douglas A. Schiess was formally installed as the third Chief of Space Operations (CSO) during a change of responsibility ceremony, succeeding retiring Gen. Chance Saltzman. As the U.S. Space Force’s highest-ranking uniformed leader and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Schiess assumes command at a pivotal juncture, taking charge of a service tasked with protecting critical orbital infrastructure while aggressively expanding U.S. military space capabilities in an increasingly contested national security domain.
Schiess inherits a military branch navigating a fundamental shift from traditional space launch and orbital support functions to direct, proactive domain defense. Under his leadership, the Space Force is expected to maintain an intense focus on threat-informed force design, accelerating the transition from legacy, exquisite geosynchronous constellations toward resilient, proliferated architectures across Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). Key operational priorities will include refining Space Domain Awareness (SDA), strengthening deep-space missile warning and missile tracking networks, and enhancing offensive and defensive counterspace options to deter adversary actions from strategic competitors such as China and Russia.
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