Washington (AFP)
Donald Trump announced Thursday the launch of a US military command of space, which will be responsible for ensuring the dominance of the United States, threatened by China and Russia, on this new war ground.
"This is a historic moment, a historic day, which recognizes that space is at the center of America's national security and defense," said the US president at a ceremony in Washington, adding that this "Spacecom will make sure that American domination in space is never threatened".
For Mr. Trump, it's about fighting the enemies of the United States who are attacking the "American satellites that are so important for warfield operations and for our way of life here."
This new command will oversee space - satellites and high-altitude aircraft - as a battlefield, and will be the equivalent of Centcom, responsible for US military operations in the Middle East.
After the Spacecom, Mr. Trump announced the next creation of a "Space Force" that will become a sixth branch of the US Army, alongside the Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force, the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard.
He had the idea of this force in 2018, while operations in space depend since the 1950s of the US Air Force.
General John Raymond, the leader of this new military command, said that America's adversaries were already focused on how to use space in a conflict.
"We are the best in the world today, but our level of superiority is narrowing, we want to move fast and stay ahead," said the Air Force General.
© 2019 AFP