The outgoing head of the U.S. Space Force has some stark words for his international partners.
Speaking at the 2026 Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference on July 15, in what was his last public speech as Chief of Space Operations (CSO), Gen. Chance Saltzman told attendees that if an armed conflict ever reaches space, as military leaders have for years been predicting and planning for, no military or nation in the world will be spared.
"If a conflict extends into space, none of us will be able to avoid the war zone. Unlike a combat zone in the air, land or sea, we will not be able to steer clear," Saltzman said in his remarks at the conference, published by the Space Force. "Whether we want to be in the combat zone or not, orbital mechanics will put all of our space capabi...


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