The US Army is increasing its number of troops specialized in space operations, a field that already plays a direct role in supporting American forces engaged in the Middle East.

The Army created a new enlisted space operations branch in June to establish a clear career path for soldiers working with satellites, communications systems, and methods to interfere with enemy space assets.

Although the Space Force manages wide-ranging space activities for the broader military, the Army maintains its own experts who focus on aiding ground units through satellite links, navigation support, and related functions.

Several of these space soldiers are currently stationed in the Middle East amid ongoing operations against Iranian forces.

Lt. Gen. John Rafferty, head of US Army Space and Missile Defense Command, noted at a recent conference in Washington that about 2,500 personnel from his command are assigned to the US Central Command region, covering both air defense units and space experts.

Space capabilities now factor into decisions at every level of command, Rafferty added.

The duties of these soldiers include enabling satellite communications and navigation for troops while also conducting space interdiction to limit adversary options, though precise mission details were not disclosed.

Such support proves vital for battlefield units that rely on it to coordinate with other elements and track opposing movements.

The rising role of space as a warfighting domain alongside traditional areas drove the Army to formalize and grow this workforce.

Command Sgt. Maj. Rickey Jackson explained that the service examined thousands of records to staff the new branch, ultimately choosing 600 soldiers primarily from intelligence, communications, and air defense backgrounds, with the field open to others as well.

The Army intends to enlarge this community further, aiming for roughly 1,700 space soldiers by the close of the next fiscal year.

Col. Joseph Mroszczyk, responsible for incorporating new space tools into Army planning, described the addition of several thousand dedicated personnel across enlisted and officer ranks as a major step for the service overall.