Lt Gen Whiting discusses “The Way We Win” at Space Symposium 38

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  • By 1st Lt Hillary Gibson

Space Operations Command leaders joined space professionals from around the world to participate in the 38th annual Space Symposium at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 17-20, 2023. 

The Space Symposium, hosted by the non-profit Space Foundation each year since 1984, brings together sectors of the space enterprise from around the world to discuss and plan for the future of space. 

Space Operations Command commander, Lt General Stephen N. Whiting, participated in several speaking engagements throughout the week. In one of the culminating events of this year’s Space Symposium, Whiting delivered a keynote address on “The Way We Win”.  

During his speech, Whiting explained his approach to maintaining superiority in the highly contested space domain.   

“We win by not fighting, but we must do so while ensuring our interests are secured in space,” said Whiting. “We, in the Space Force, have a duty to provide space effects to the Joint Force through all levels of conflict and in the face of the threats we now find arrayed against us.”  

Whiting explained the importance of SpOC’s mission to generate, present and sustain combat-ready intelligence, cyber, space and combat support forces in support of combatant commanders, coalition partners, the joint force and the nation.  

“SpOC is the United States Space Force’s operational and warfighting arm. The Space Force is a full member of the Joint Force,” explained Whiting. “We have a moral responsibility to work together as a force package projecting military supremacy in, from and to space to deliver critical space capabilities which are vital to our way of life.”  

Space Operations Command, alongside Space Training and Readiness Command and Space Systems Command, maintained a booth from Monday through the end of the event Thursday evening. There, several senior leaders, to include Whiting, spoke about a variety of topics and engaged with Symposium attendees.  

Col Stephen Lyon, Space Delta 15 commander, discussed Space Delta 15’s mission and its role in providing support to the Space Force and the role partnerships play in maintaining space superiority.  

"At Delta 15, our mission is to protect and defend which means maintaining space superiority,” said Lyon. “Space superiority is only achievable through coming together and working with our joint force, commercial and allied partners”.  

Events like Space Symposium allow Space Force leadership at all levels to engage with industry partners and strengthen the relationship between the United States military and its commercial partners.  

This year, the symposium hosted more than 230 civil, commercial, international and military exhibits from 40 different nations and featured presentations from 260 plus speakers for around 14,000 attendees. Senior leaders from across the Department of Defense spoke at the event, including Secretary of the Air Force, U.S. Space Command commander, Chief of Space Operations among many others.