Space Force nominee backs military control of space weapons
Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess told senators that commercial leases may fit some space missions, but weapons should stay under Space Force ownership and control.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess, President Donald Trump’s nominee to become the next Chief of Space Operations, told senators that weapons in orbit should be owned and controlled by the Space Force. The comments matter as the Pentagon prepares for a larger military role in space and as companies pursue systems that could damage or destroy spacecraft.
At a Senate Armed Services Committee nomination hearing last week, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the panel’s top Democrat, raised concerns about private companies leasing space assets that function as weapons. Reed said last year’s National Defense Authorization Act barred temporary ownership of space weapon systems and said this year’s bill would clarify that the Space Force must hold title to them.
“We don’t lease M4 rifles. We don’t lease F-15s,” Reed said, according to Ars Technica. He described the issue as involving systems that could destroy other systems or kill people.
Schiess said commercial arrangements can work for some military space missions, including satellite communications and space domain awareness. He drew a line at systems capable of harming another nation’s assets or people, saying those capabilities should be “completely owned” and controlled by the Space Force.
If confirmed, Schiess would sit on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and advise the president on military matters. He told Reed he would work with him on the issue and said such systems need “Guardian control,” using the Space Force term for service members.
Private space systems and military roles
The exchange came amid broader debate over how far the military should go in relying on privately owned space infrastructure. Ars Technica reported that the Space Force has used commercial satellites in military exercises that simulate offensive and defensive responses to threats in low-Earth orbit, though those spacecraft do not carry weapons.
The Pentagon’s planned Golden Dome missile defense shield is designed to include space-based interceptors in low-Earth orbit, according to Ars Technica. Such interceptors could in theory be used against other spacecraft, the outlet reported.
Some aerospace and defense companies are developing space-based interceptor prototypes with private money, while others are using both public and private funding, according to Ars Technica. Congress has already moved to restrict privatized or subscription-based missile defense intercept capabilities, requiring that any such system be owned and operated by the U.S. military.
Schiess pointed to hybrid models already used by the National Reconnaissance Office, where contractors operate some government-owned satellites. He said those arrangements still include a military member or NRO civilian serving as mission director.
Old privateering debate returns in new domains
The issue echoes an older legal tool: letters of marque and reprisal, which allowed private vessels to capture enemy ships during earlier U.S. conflicts. The Constitution gives Congress the power to grant such letters, though privateering is now barred under international law and the U.S. government has not used the practice since the War of 1812, according to Ars Technica. The Confederacy commissioned privateers during the Civil War.
Some lawmakers have shown renewed interest in the concept outside the space field. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee proposed legislation last year tied to drug cartels, and Lee introduced a separate bill this month authorizing letters of marque and reprisal for cyber operations.
Lee said in a statement that his cyber bill would let “American digital privateers” act against cartels, cybercriminals and foreign adversaries while sharing seized assets with the federal government.
The Space Force may soon receive a major funding increase. The Trump administration requested $71.1 billion for the service in fiscal 2027, up nearly 80 percent from an approximately $40 billion 2026 budget, according to Ars Technica. Lawmakers appear likely to approve between $50 billion and $60 billion, the outlet reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Ars Technica.