Unit Name: | United States Space Forces – Europe and Africa |
Start Date: | 8 December 2023; days |
Type: | Component field command |
Role: | Space operations |
Size: | ~30 personnel[1] |
Command Structure: | United States European Command United States Africa Command |
Garrison: | Ramstein Air Base, Germany |
Garrison Label: | Headquarters |
Commander1: | Brig Gen Jacob Middleton Jr. |
Commander1 Label: | Commander |
Commander2: | Lt Col Joel J. Neuber[2] [3] |
Commander2 Label: | Deputy Commander |
Commander3: | CMSgt Alex Birkle[4] |
Commander3 Label: | Senior Enlisted Leader |
The United States Space Forces – Europe and Africa (USSPACEFOR-EURAF) is the United States Space Force component field command to the United States European Command and United States Africa Command. It plans, coordinates, supports, and conducts employment of space operations across the full range of military operations, including security cooperation, in support of the combatant commands' objectives. It was activated on 8 December 2023.
In 2022, the Space Force started building component field commands in the United States Indo-Pacific Command, United States Central Command, and United States Forces Korea. A similar unit in Europe was planned to be activated after those first units.[7] In September 2023, General B. Chance Saltzman announced that SPACEFOR-EURAF would be the fourth component field command.[8] A month later, the United States European Command announced that the unit will be activated on 8 December 2023 with Col Max E. Lantz II, then the director of staff for USAFE-AFAFRICA, as the inaugural commander.[9] The unit was activated on 8 December 2023 in a ceremony attended by General Saltzman, General Michael E. Langley, and Lieutenant General Steven L. Basham.[10]