UK Officer Joins U.S. Space Force’s Top Staff

The U.S. Space Force for the first time has an international officer on its top staff, as Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman has picked UK Royal Air Force Air Marshal Paul Godfrey to lead international planning for the service.

Godfrey most recently served as the first commander of UK Space Command. As assistant chief of space operations, he will advise Saltzman “on everything related to achieving space superiority and resilience through international partnerships,” the Royal Air Force says in an announcement.

“This is a significant step forward in promoting closer cooperation with an important ally, and it exemplifies the kind of partnership we need to internalize as a service,” Saltzman said in a letter to the Space Force. “AM Godfrey’s integration into a senior service staff is unprecedented, and it pushes the boundaries of what it means to be Integrated by Design.”

Godfrey’s rank is the equivalent of lieutenant general. He will be the sixth leader of the Space Force’s staff at the Pentagon.

“The U.S. has a long history of international cooperation and collaboration in all domains, including space,” Godfrey says in the announcement. “Partnerships allow us to build trust, share information and truly integrate operations to maximize resilience and defend against aggressive behavior. It is a real honor to serve in this new position alongside my U.S. counterparts to deepen allied relationships and promote safety and security in space.”

Godfrey was replaced as commander of UK Space Command in May by Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, a senior British Army officer. It is the second time Godfrey has served in the U.S., having previously been an exchange pilot with the U.S. Air Force’s 55th Fighter Squadron.