Written By Lisa Murimi
The United States and France are ramping up their military cooperation in space with a new joint satellite maneuver, U.S. officials have confirmed.
The mission, aimed at boosting allied surveillance and coordination, reflects mounting concern over China’s growing military presence in orbit.
Lieutenant General Douglas Schiess of the U.S. Space Force said the upcoming operation will be the second of its kind between Washington and Paris, and the Pentagon’s third allied space exercise in less than a year.
A previous U.S.–France maneuver took place last year, while Britain joined a joint drill earlier this month.
“Space is an increasingly contested military domain,” Schiess said, stressing the importance of building stronger partnerships. He declined to share specific details of the mission but noted that more joint operations with allies are likely.
Europe’s role in allied space defense
France, the largest government space spender in Europe, is expected to play a pivotal role in this strategy. Officials say the drills highlight Western efforts to safeguard satellites vital for communications, missile warning systems, and battlefield intelligence.
China, Russia, and the U.S. have all tested anti-satellite weapons and launched maneuverable spacecraft, heightening fears of potential attacks on orbital networks. Disruptions to these systems could cripple GPS and military communications worldwide.
French Space Command declined to confirm specifics of the upcoming maneuver but acknowledged that earlier operations with the U.S. were meant to strengthen cooperation and demonstrate “strategic solidarity.”
Major General Vincent Chusseau, the French commander, described the first joint drill as a success while withholding operational details.
That mission, conducted late last year, involved American and French satellites performing rendezvous and proximity operations near what U.S. officials described as a “strategic competitor’s” spacecraft. Earlier this month, a U.S. satellite also maneuvered near Britain’s SKYNET 5A communications satellite, a move hailed by UK Space Command as a “significant increase in operational capability.”
Analysts see the joint missions as part of a wider response to what they call a new space race, where maneuvering spacecraft, multinational coalitions, and orbital resilience are emerging as key tools of deterrence against rivals.
