Gen. John Hyten, commander of the Air Force Space Command, has described some of the biggest threats to the U.S. and called for the modernization of the country’s nuclear triad amid rising global security challenges, DoD News reported Tuesday.
Jim Garamone writes Hyten said Tuesday at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination to lead the U.S. Strategic Command that he believes Russia, China, North Korea and Iran pose the greatest threats to national security.
“As our potential adversaries upgrade their own capabilities, it is essential that we move forward to update and modernize the three elements of the nuclear triad and also ensure our plans are fully integrated with the other combatant commands,†he told committee members.
The report said Hyten plans to promote “extensive and intensive†cooperation among U.S. agencies and allies to thwart cyber attacks if the Senate approves his appointment.
If confirmed, he will succeed Navy Adm. Cecil Haney and oversee Stratcom’s nuclear command-and-control, space, global strike and missile defense, C4ISR and counter-weapons of mass destruction operations.
