Akure – 11 December 2023 – The U.S. Space Force, the U.S. European Command, and the U.S. Africa Command have launched the U.S. Space Forces Europe and Africa component, their newest service component. The component was established to support the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in expanding USSF’s growing reach into combatant commands.
The announcement happened during the Activation and Assumption of Command Ceremony for the United States Space Forces Europe & Africa (SPACEFOREUR-AF) in Ramstein, Germany, on December 8, 2023. SPACEFOREUR-AF, under the command of Space Force Col. Max Lantz, gives the USSF its own organization in the vast combined area of U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.
During the event, Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, the Chief of Space Operations, said, “This is an important day in the history of the Space Force as we mature our organization and our partnerships to take on the challenges of the space domain. The activation of Space Forces Europe and Africa is a “critical step” in USSF’s growth as its own service with its own voice in operations.”
Likewise, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander for AFRICOM, said, ” The activation of USSPACEFOR-EURAF highlights our dedication to strengthening collaborative space capabilities across the African continent.” He also added, “our emphasis extends beyond protecting our space assets; we are equally devoted to fostering partnerships and augmenting the command’s capacity to deliver space-related benefits in support of shared missions with African partners.”
SPACEFOREUR-AF is now the fourth service component in one of the U.S. military’s regional commands, joining U.S. Central Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and U.S. Forces Korea. Joint combatant commanders.
