President Obama on Friday nominated Air Force Gen. John Hyten to be commander of U.S. Strategic Command.
Hyten, who currently commands the Air Force Space Command, was lauded by Defense Secretary Ash Carter for his experience commanding airmen and his ability to leverage space weapons programs that support U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Armed with 35 years of strong managerial experience, deep technical expertise, and visionary leadership, Gen. Hyten is the perfect choice to lead this critical command in the years to come, as the men and women of STRATCOM carry out missions essential to our national defense—including sustaining nuclear deterrence through a safe, secure, and effective triad, helping defend our networks and deter malicious actors in cyberspace, and preparing for the possibility of a conflict that extends into space," Carter said in a Friday statement.
Hyten will succeed Adm. Cecil Haney, who has commanded the post since late 2013.
Hyten said in April that the Air Force was developing military space weapons to protect U.S. satellites and strike enemy satellites in response to China’s heightened capabilities in space warfare.
"If we’re threatened in space, we have the right of self defense and we’ll make sure we can execute that right," Hyten told CBS News. "That’s why we have a military … I’m not NASA," he said.
Hyten, a warfighter, is tasked with readying the United States for the future of space warfare.
The U.S. military space budget hovers around $25 billion annually, according to CBS. This includes spy satellites and secret programs.
Carter urged the Senate to "act swiftly" on Hyten’s nomination.