As about 8,000 troops from 30 countries trained on beaches and in jungles across Thailand at Exercise Cobra Gold 2026, members of the United States Space Force made it their mission to further integrate space as a warfighting domain. “Integrating space from the outset ensures the joint force operates with synchronized effects across air, land, maritime, cyber and space,” said U.S. Space Force Maj. Jonathan Brydie. “Space superiority is now as vital as air superiority in modern conflict.”
The U.S. and Thailand co-hosted the 45th annual Exercise Cobra Gold from February 23 to March 6, bringing multinational Soldiers together to participate in training and humanitarian assistance and disaster response projects, and reinforcing the U.S.-Thai alliance. The leading role of Space Force Guardians during the 12-day exercise signaled the continuing evolution of the newest branch of the U.S. military, which was established to organize, train and equip forces to protect U.S. and allied interests in, from and to space. Its integration into Cobra Gold reflected both operational necessity and the evolving character of warfare.
“This marks a significant milestone for the United States Space Force,” said Brydie, a military exchange program embed with Joint Force Space Component, Headquarters Joint Operations Command. “As our service continues to mature, our participation demonstrates that we can support real-world operations and major multinational exercises simultaneously.”
During Cobra Gold, the longest-running international military exercise in the world, Guardians provided expertise in space domain awareness, defensive and offensive operations, and operational-level planning needed to achieve and maintain space superiority. Space Force personnel were able to embed alongside air, land, maritime and cyber planners to integrate space into their decision-making.
“Integrating space into Cobra Gold enhances the exercise by educating Indo-Pacific partners on the operational role of the space domain during conflict,” said U.S. Space Force Capt. Nicholas Braga, chief of future operations at U.S. Space Forces Korea. “It also opens dialogue on how nations can responsibly develop and integrate space capabilities that contribute to regional stability.”
Among other events, teams simulated offensive actions that can disrupt or damage an opponent’s satellite communications. The drill included equipment such as satellite uplink and GPS jammers.
“Most command and control systems rely on satellites and space-enabled networks,” Brydie said. “Maintaining awareness of the space environment allows us to protect those systems and ensure the joint force can operate without disruption.”
Another event at Cobra Gold tested cyber and space warriors with a fictional crisis that unfolded on computer screens at the command post at Camp Red Horse in Rayong, Thailand. The scenario: A coup in a country called Sonora, on a continent named Pacifica east of Japan, sparks conflict in the region. A neighboring country, Arcadia, joins Sonora, leading other militaries to respond. The objective is to force enemy soldiers to withdraw, restore prewar borders and start a diplomatic process.
Training tied to the fictional conflict was held throughout Thailand and included jungle warfare, amphibious assaults and maritime attack exercises. But commanders at Cobra Gold said the most advanced training is happening increasingly in cyber and space. In recent years, Cobra Gold has accelerated its digital warfare features, including satellite communications, electronic warfare and cyber defense.
The operational importance of space domain awareness was a central theme throughout the exercise. “We are ensuring space is a deliberate consideration at every decision point,” Braga said. “Branch plans and contingency options are developed with space effects integrated from the beginning, giving commanders greater clarity and flexibility in achieving mission objectives.”
Building partnerships in the space domain is also increasingly important, U.S. Army Capt. Brittany Chapman-Freed, who led the space operations team, told the Stars and Stripes newspaper. “I think space has been such a nebulous concept that a lot of people don’t understand it,” she said. “But we’re starting to recognize that partner nations are crucial in the fights” of the future.