Top 5 things to know about America's recent changes in its military leadership in Africa

Business Insider

6 days ago

With a shift in global military policies, the United States has opted to modify key leadership positions to confront new threats, including those emerging in Africa. AFRICOM and Space Force are two units that have undergone some changes.
The United States has recently revised key military leadership roles to address emerging global threats, particularly in Africa.
For the first time, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is led by an Air Force commander, Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, emphasizing air and space-focused strategies.
AFRICOM is considering an autonomous structure and evaluating potential new headquarters in Morocco.
Recent appointments in the United States military indicate a move toward greater integration of air and space power across the continent.
In a nutshell, the Space Force gets a new Vice Chief of Space Operations, while the United States Africa Command has its first Air Force commander.
As the United States Space Force approaches a crucial development phase and AFRICOM focuses on air operations, here are five key points to consider regarding the intersection of space and Africa's security situation.
AFRICOM gets its first Air Force commander
Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson has been confirmed as the new head of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).
His nomination is the first time that the command has been commanded by an airman rather than a soldier or Marine.
Anderson, who has a history in special operations and formerly led the United States Special Operations Command Africa, might provide a new air-and-space-focused perspective to AFRICOM's mission.
New command headquarters
After the Senate approved a new commander for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), the United States will create an autonomous military command for operations in Africa.
Morocco is reportedly being evaluated as the probable site for the new command headquarters, according to unconfirmed reports.
Up until now, AFRICOM and European Command shared a structure, which restricted its ability to respond independently to Africa's quickly changing challenges.
A new vice chief for Space Force has been confirmed
Lieutenant General Shawn N. Bratton has been confirmed as the next Vice Chief of Space Operations.
His nomination by the United States Senate puts him at the core of the Space Force's next chapter, as it attempts to broaden its impact and respond to emerging global threats.
What led to the new developments
There was a growing debate concerning AFRICOM's future. The Pentagon has proposed lowering the number of senior generals and even integrating AFRICOM with the US European Command, as they did before 2007.
At the same time, AFRICOM is increasing airstrikes across Africa, and putting an airman in command rather than soldiers or marines, who have traditionally led the force, might signify a change toward more air and space-focused operations on the continent.
Leadership changes reflect growing Space-Africa nexus
These leadership shifts point to a broader transformation in how the U.S. military views Africa.
As AFRICOM intensifies airstrikes against extremist groups and the Space Force ramps up satellite operations, the synergy between space-based assets and on-the-ground missions in Africa is becoming more evident. The continent is poised to become an increasingly strategic theater for integrating air and space operations.
AFRICOM and Space Force
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is one of the United States' 11 unified combatant commands, in charge of directing all US military activities, partnerships, and security interests on the African continent.
africom
AFRICOM is currently headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and collaborates closely with African countries to combat terrorism, promote stability, and give humanitarian aid.
While AFRICOM does not report directly to the US Space Force, the two are becoming increasingly intertwined.
As contemporary warfare increasingly relies on space-based capabilities like as satellite communications, navigation, and intelligence collection, the Space Force plays an important supporting role in AFRICOM missions.
With new Air Force leadership now overseeing AFRICOM, coordination between the two commands is anticipated to strengthen, particularly as operations in Africa become increasingly reliant on air and space power.