Schriever Wargame 2025 strengthens international partnerships, shapes future space operations

Published Aug. 26, 2025
By Brandon Kalloo Sanes
Space Training and Readiness Command

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) -- The U.S. Space Force and nine partner nations concluded Schriever Wargame 2025 on Aug. 21, capping a two-week wargame that tested strategies, evaluated future technologies and strengthened international cooperation in space.

Schriever Wargame graphic with bald eagle and flags — The Schreiver Wargame graphic is pictured. The Space Force and nine partner nations concluded Schriever Wargame 2025, Aug. 21, 2025.

Hosted by Space Delta 10 at the LeMay Center’s Wargame Institute, the capstone event, a culmination of two years of planning, brought together more than 350 participants from the Department of Defense, partner nations, industry and academia. This year’s participants included representatives from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. Italy and Norway attended as first-time observers.

“For more than 25 years, Schriever Wargame has been the place where partner nations come together to test strategies before they’re needed in the real world,” said U.S. Space Force Col. Shannon DaSilva, Space Delta 10 commander. “We’ve built not only scenarios, but relationships—and those are the foundation of our ability to deter, defend and succeed in space.”

Partner perspectives
Representatives from partner nations underscored the importance of working side-by-side to prepare for the rapidly changing space domain.

“Access to space services is essential to the Australian way of life, the consequences from the loss of losing those services is a lesson we continue to embed across our integrated force,” said Royal Australian Air Force Wing Commander Adam Carroll, senior national representative for Australia and Commanding Officer of the 1st Space Surveillance Unit. “It has never been more important for like-minded nations to work together to outpace potential threats and provide our senior leaders a clear picture of how space conflict could unfold and what is necessary to deter it.”

Col. Shaun Lamb, senior national representative from U.K. Space Command, deputy head of capability and the lead for force development at U.K. Space Command, emphasized how the event helps align policies and capabilities.

Group photo — Participants from the U.S. Space Force, industry and nine partner nations gather for a group photo at the Schriever Wargame 2025, held Aug. 10–21 at the LeMay Center’s Wargame Institute at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. The biennial Schriever Wargame, a tabletop event set a decade into the future, challenges the U.S. and partner nations to respond to a notional conflict scenario, stress test strategies and policies, and evaluate how emerging technologies could strengthen future operations. This year’s event brought together more than 350 participants to explore strategic challenges, inform future force design and acquisition, and reinforce interoperability and mutual security in space. (Courtesy photo)

“This was an invaluable opportunity to learn together,” Lamb said. “We’ve built trust in each other’s capabilities, learned how our policies and processes align, and challenged ourselves to orchestrate operations as a team of partners.”

From Canada’s perspective, Royal Canadian Air Force Mr. Justin Boileau, senior national representative for Canada and section chief of advanced space effects at the Third Canadian Space Division, highlighted the pace of change.

“Every time we come together, the domain looks different—new technologies, new commercial players, new dynamics,” Boileau said. “That makes it even more important to work together toward a common understanding so that everyone can benefit from space.”

Exploring future concepts
This year’s wargame incorporated five Notional Technologies — hypothetical future capabilities used to stress-test decision making and identify gaps in how partners share data and operate together. While specifics remain classified, officials said the process provided valuable insights for governments and industry alike.

“The beauty of Schriever is that it lets us ask, ‘What do we wish we had?’” DaSilva said. “That shapes the future force design, acquisition priorities and most importantly, it ensures our systems can operate seamlessly with those of our partners.”

Looking ahead
Planning is already underway for Schriever Wargame 2027, where the intent is for participating nations to jointly set wargame objectives for the first time.

“Our partnerships grow stronger each time we come together,” DaSilva said. “Schriever Wargame 2025 proved that the future of space security lies in partnership, trust, and shared vision.”