The United States must redouble its effort to fight a war in space, said Vice Admiral Charles Richard, deputy commander of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).

The U.S. needs to make it clear to both Russia and China it's ready and able to fight a space war, one that will involve destroying each side's military satellites by deploying anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles; ground-based lasers or "hunter-killer" satellites designed to smash into enemy satellites.

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Adm. Richard said a "preparation without provocation" strategy will both protect U.S. satellites and help prevent conflicts from igniting in space.

"Just as nuclear assets deter aggression by convincing potential adversaries there's just no benefit to the attack, we have to maintain a space posture that communicates the same strategic message," said Adm. Richard.

"I submit the best way to prevent war is to be prepared for war, and we're going to make sure that everyone knows we're going to be prepared to fight and win wars in all domains, to include space."

USSTRATCOM is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands. It's responsible for space operations; information operations; missile defense; global command and control; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR); global strike and strategic deterrence and combating weapons of mass destruction.

Richard said the U.S.' traditional dominance of space is under threat, and noted reports that China and Russia are developing a range of advanced ASAT technologies.

"While we're not at war in space, I don't think we can say we're exactly at peace, either," said Adm. Richard.

"Major power competition is back on the table in a way that we have not seen in the world for perhaps 15 or 20 years. That applies in all domains."

Last month, two ranking U.S. Air Force generals in charge of the effort to make certain the U.S. wins the world's first space war revealed the U.S.' plans to fight in a war where no man has fought before.

Gen. David Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, and Gen. John Raymond, Commander of U.S. Air Force Space Command, together wrote the op-ed, saying "the Air Force is focused intensely on making sure that if and when conflict comes, the United States is prepared to protect our interests and, in a larger sense, our way of life."

"We believe it is imperative that Americans understand the nature of what is at stake as we rapidly prepare to defend our satellites and networks from attack and develop capabilities that will deter future adversaries from trying."