Cyber conflicts are no longer theoretical – they pose a serious and immediate threat that demands urgent preparedness from U.S. joint forces, a senior Defense Department (DoD) official said this week.
“What we have learned [from our wargaming] is that this is a significant threat that we have to prepare the joint force to deal with,” John Garstka, director for cyber warfare within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Platform and Weapon Portfolio Management, said during Space Systems Command Cyber Expo on April 22.
According to Garstka, cyberspace is the fifth domain of warfare – joining air, land, sea, and space. Therefore, DoD is enhancing the infrastructure that underpins critical space systems missions, including both military and commercial support networks.
“It’s super important that when we think about cybersecurity for space systems … we factor in DoD installation-critical infrastructure, and we also factor in commercial-critical infrastructure when we have space systems dependent on that infrastructure,” he said.
Garstka also underscored the need for thorough risk assessments across the entire life cycle of a system – from design to sustainment. This is especially important in relation to the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), which remains a primary target for cyber adversaries.
DoD must equip industry with clear, early-stage requirements to safeguard space systems from espionage and disruption, he said.
“Cyberattacks can impact production lines; they can shut a production line down,” Garstka emphasized. “We’re not talking about hypotheticals here. If you’re dependent on the DIB for operations of your space systems, you have to treat protecting the DIB as important as protecting the space system, space segment, or ground segment.”
He stressed that the DIB must be treated as a critical mission partner but acknowledged that funding the necessary upgrades to secure these partnerships could pose financial hurdles.
“The most important thing you can bring to the fight is motivation, the ability to identify the type of requirements that these space systems need to meet. And then you’ve got to be able to [fund them],” Garstka said.
“We’ve got to figure out how to close the cost equation to make that a reality,” he said.
Funding for proposed cybersecurity initiatives outlined by Garstka may become more attainable under President Donald Trump’s proposed $1 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2026, which includes a nearly 12 percent increase over current spending levels.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the budget could provide “unmatched military strength” across the department, including in space warfare capabilities. It remains unclear what part of the budget would be allocated to cybersecurity.
While the administration says some of the new spending will be offset by cuts made by its Department of Government Efficiency, specific areas of reduction have yet to be disclosed.
White House officials are expected to release a complete budget proposal later this spring.