OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — As thousands of service members participate in the annual Freedom Shield 26 exercise, a dedicated team from U.S. Space Forces – Korea (SPACEFOR-KOR) is working behind the scenes to integrate the space domain into the large-scale training event. Freedom Shield 26, a collaborative effort between the Republic of Korea, the United States, and the United Nations Command, aims to bolster preparedness for military forces on the Korean Peninsula. This year’s exercise, running from March 9-19, 2026, marks a significant step in incorporating space-based capabilities into combined military operations, enhancing the realism and complexity of the training scenario.
The exercise provides SPACEFOR-KOR with a crucial opportunity to rehearse operations across all Space Mission Areas, rigorously test existing procedures, and refine its ability to rapidly scale operations when needed. The focus is on digitally exercising the “space fight” alongside traditional warfighting domains – ground, air, naval, cyber, and information – to create a comprehensive and integrated training environment. This integration is increasingly vital as space-based assets become integral to modern military strategy, and operations.
Building a Realistic Space Environment
Months before the exercise began, the SPACEFOR-KOR S7 directorate, responsible for force development, training, and exercises, began developing a robust space environment tailored to the command’s objectives. This involved meticulous planning and coordination to simulate realistic space-based scenarios and challenges. Despite operating as a small, four-person team under normal circumstances, the S7 directorate manages extensive coordination with higher headquarters, supporting commands, and simulation centers to ensure a comprehensive and challenging training experience.
According to U.S. Space Force Maj. Dillon Hagerty, SPACEFOR-KOR director of force development, the primary objective is to rehearse theater-relevant operational plans. “Our primary objective is to ensure we’re rehearsing theater-relevant [operational plans],” Hagerty said. Additional objectives include validating the space operations planning cycle, testing command and control capabilities, and fostering partnership engagement with allied forces. The team’s workload encompasses administration, logistics, personnel coordination, exercise planning, and detailed scenario design.
Collaboration and Simulation Centers
To create realistic scenarios and simulated data, the S7 directorate collaborates with key simulation centers, including the Pacific Air Simulation Center at Osan Air Base and the Korean Battle Simulation Center at Camp Humphreys. These partnerships are essential for building a responsive and immersive training environment for exercise participants. These centers, along with others in the United States, allow SPACEFOR-KOR to create a more realistic and challenging training environment.
U.S. Space Force 1st Lt. Roman Ocampo, SPACEFOR-KOR chief of exercise development, emphasized the importance of this coordination. “Our role here is a lot of coordination between the different simulation centers to build the space scenario work for these exercises as realistically as possible,” Ocampo said. This collaborative approach ensures that the space domain is seamlessly integrated into the broader exercise, providing participants with a comprehensive and realistic training experience.
From Planning to Execution: The Exercise Control Group
During the exercise, the S7 directorate transforms into a 24-hour operation known as the Exercise Control Group (ECG). This expanded team, comprising over a dozen members, includes subject matter experts from across all Space Mission Areas and liaisons from the Republic of Korea Air Force’s Space Operations Group. Together, the ECG executes and manages the scenarios that drive the space portion of the exercise forward.
The ECG’s responsibilities span a wide range of Space Mission Areas, including Missile Warning and Space Domain Awareness, as well as scenarios involving degraded space-enabled effects that support combined operations. By incorporating these elements, the group creates a contested environment that challenges participants to adapt and overcome realistic threats. “We are the controllers for the entire space domain for the exercise,” Ocampo explained.
Much of the ECG’s operations take place at the Pacific Air Simulation Center, which provides integrated air and space simulation, wargaming capabilities, and continuous simulated data. Inside the center, the space-focused ECG works alongside its air component counterparts to synchronize efforts and integrate space operations.
Monitoring and Adapting the Scenario
The ECG’s role extends beyond simply launching scenarios. The team continuously monitors player actions to ensure the scenario remains dynamic and challenging. U.S. Members track the actions of U.S. Forces, even as their Republic of Korea counterparts monitor the responses of ROK forces to the space scenarios introduced during the exercise. This real-time monitoring allows the ECG to assess how forces respond to simulated adversary threats and adjust the scenario accordingly, providing valuable feedback and reinforcing shared understanding.
As SPACEFOR-KOR continues to expand its role in Freedom Shield, the command is increasingly integrating the space domain into the training environment. The S7 team is focused on continuously expanding the complexity, realism, and scope of the space fight, ensuring that combined forces are well-prepared for real-world operations on the Korean Peninsula. In this effort, the space domain is not merely represented, but fully integrated into the overall fight.
Looking ahead, SPACEFOR-KOR will continue to refine its approach to integrating the space domain into Freedom Shield and other exercises. The command is committed to enhancing its capabilities and ensuring that U.S. And Republic of Korea forces are prepared to operate effectively in an increasingly contested space environment. Updates on future exercises and SPACEFOR-KOR’s ongoing efforts can be found on the U.S. Space Forces – Korea website.
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