VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. –
U.S. Space Forces - Space (S4S) leadership hosted Brig. Gen. Jacob Middleton, commander of U.S. Space Forces - Europe and Africa (USSPACEFOR-EURAF), and Chief Master Sgt. Alex Birkle, USSPACEFOR-EURAF senior enlisted leader, for a strategic integration discussion at Vandenberg Space Force Base, May 13, 2026.
The visit focused on refining the operational data links and command relationships between the global space warfighting hub at S4S and the theater-focused space components in Europe and Africa. During the engagement, Lt. Gen. Dennis Bythewood, S4S commander, emphasized the necessity of a "shoulder-to-shoulder" approach to outpace evolving counterspace threats in contested environments.
Discussions centered on how S4S can better Connect intelligence and orbital warfare capabilities to support USSPACEFOR-EURAF’s mission of enabling joint and multinational exercises. By streamlining the "Blue Kill Chain" from the global level down to the theater warfighter, both commands ensure that space superiority remains a constant for U.S. and allied forces operating across two continents.