New Space Force Chief Ties Guardians Directly to Combat in Operation Epic Fury

Gen. Douglas Schiess, in one of his first public appearances after swearing in as Chief of Space Operations, said Guardians played a critical role in U.S. operations against Iran, delivering electronic warfare effects to suppress enemy air defenses and communications. The remarks, made at the AFA Air, Space and Cyber Conference, connect the Space Force directly to the recent Operation Epic Fury combat.

The comments represent an unusually concrete public claim about space forces shaping a live shooting war. They move the service from a support narrative toward a direct combat-effects narrative, and they help frame the priorities of a brand-new service chief early in his tenure.

Schiess said Guardians provided electronic warfare effects against enemy air defense and communications, along with other space capabilities, during the operations against Iran. He tied that contribution specifically to U.S. operations in the conflict. The appearance came shortly after he was sworn in as Chief of Space Operations, making the claim one of his first significant public statements in the role.

The Chief of Space Operations named the specific effects delivered, pointing to the suppression of enemy air defenses and the disruption of enemy communications. He linked those effects to Operation Epic Fury by name, identifying the war in which the Space Force says it was engaged. The venue, the AFA Air, Space and Cyber Conference, is a prominent forum for senior leaders across the air and space services.

By naming both the effects and the operation, Schiess framed the Space Force not as a background enabler but as a contributor of direct combat effects in a recent conflict. The statement positions the service, and its new chief, around a claim that Guardians influenced the outcome of live combat.

The Space Force has long argued that it belongs in the fight. Its new chief has now named the war where it says it was.