Chance Saltzman: Space Capabilities Must be Included in AUKUS Pillar 2

The AUKUS trilateral security agreement’s second pillar needs to include space capabilities, expanding beyond its original aim of supporting the development of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, according to Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of operations for the U.S. Space Force.

Speaking with reporters at the Global Air Chief’s Conference on Wednesday, Saltzman, a 2024 Wash100 awardee, said that while the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia are still at the planning stage, all nations have agreed that space is a valuable tool.

While specific details have yet to be made public, observers are closely watching developments over whether or not AUKUS will push for joint procurement of space assets, Breaking Defense reported.

AUKUS is already seeing support from the private sector if it decides to include space in Pillar II, with Quasar Satellite Technologies already pledging support by extending its multichannel, phased-array antenna to track space objects.

Announced in 2021, AUKUS aims to strengthen the three nations’ security partnership by enhancing information and technology sharing and the integration of security and defense-related science into operations. Among its recent achievements is a joint effort on an algorithm allowing each partner nation to access data on their sonobuoys.