A recently retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General has made bold statements that could signal a seismic shift in the aerospace landscape. Lt. Gen. Steven L. Kwast, speaking in a lecture last month, hinted at groundbreaking technologies capable of altering human civilization and the very nature of warfare. His remarks raise questions: are these claims a glimpse of an imminent scientific breakthrough or a strategic move in the race for space dominance?
Meet Lt. Gen. Steven L. Kwast
Lt. Gen. Kwast is no stranger to the high-stakes world of aerospace innovation. With degrees from the United States Air Force Academy and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, his expertise spans astronautical engineering and public policy. Boasting over 3,300 flight hours and 650 combat hours in aircraft like the F-15E and T-38, his leadership credentials are as extensive as his operational experience.
Until his retirement in September 2019, Kwast served as Commander of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) at Joint Base San Antonio. Despite a distinguished career, his tenure ended amid controversy, with some alleging his outspoken views on space technologies led to his premature removal from the role. Kwast, however, has remained silent on these claims.
Space as the Final Frontier for Global Power
In a November lecture titled “The Urgent Need for a U.S. Space Force,” delivered at Hillsdale College, Kwast painted a vivid picture of space as the ultimate strategic high ground. Drawing parallels between historic technological revolutions like fire and nuclear weapons, he argued that space-based technologies could similarly redefine world power.
“As a historian, reflecting on the fact that throughout the history of mankind… technology has always changed world power. But the story of rejecting the new and holding and clinging to the paradigms of the past is why no civilization has ever lasted forever, and values are trumped by other values when another civilization figures out a way of finding a competitive advantage. The nature of power, you either have it and your values rule or you do not have it and you must submit. We see that play out again and again in history and it’s playing out now.”
The China Factor: A Race for the Future
China’s growing space ambitions loom large in Kwast’s narrative. According to him, the U.S. risks falling behind if it fails to invest heavily in advanced space technologies. We can say today we are dominant in space, but the trend lines are what you have to look at, and they will pass us in the next few years if we do not do something, he warned.
Kwast even described China’s efforts as building a “Navy in space,” with equivalents of “battleships and destroyers” designed to achieve dominance. He cautioned that once such dominance is achieved, it could be nearly impossible for other nations to catch up.
Revolutionary Technology: Science Fiction or Science Fact?
Among Kwast’s most astonishing claims is the suggestion that the U.S. already possesses revolutionary transportation technology. Around the 12:00 mark of his lecture, he stated:
“The technology is on the engineering benches today. But most Americans and most members of Congress have not had time to really look deeply at what is going on here. But I’ve had the benefit of 33 years of studying and becoming friends with these scientists. This technology can be built today with technology that is not developmental to deliver any human being from any place on planet Earth to any other place in less than an hour.”
Such a leap, if true, would not only upend traditional aerospace capabilities but also redefine how humanity perceives distance and travel.
The Case for a Space Force
For Kwast, space is the cornerstone of a 21st-century economy, driving innovation in transportation, information, energy, and manufacturing. “Space is the Navy for the 21st-century economy… Whoever gets to the new market sets the values for that market,” he said, underscoring the stakes in this high-tech competition.
China’s advancements—such as deploying satellites with potential military capabilities and establishing a presence on the moon—further highlight the urgency of these efforts. For the U.S., Kwast asserts that investing in space is about more than just economic competition; it’s about ensuring the continued proliferation of American values.
Preparing for the Next Frontier
Kwast’s remarks join a growing chorus of voices urging Congress to accelerate funding for space-related technologies. He argued that achieving strategic superiority requires the U.S. to deploy kinetic, non-kinetic, and informational power more efficiently than its adversaries.
The retired general’s speech and op-eds reflect a broader belief among defense analysts that space will shape the power dynamics of the future. The question remains: will this new space race benefit humanity through scientific advancement, or will it lay the groundwork for conflict beyond Earth’s atmosphere?
Only time will tell, but according to Kwast, the tools to dominate this frontier may already be within reach.
