Sharks, Snakes, and Ghosts: Space Force Reveals 7 Quirky Themes for Its War Tech Names
To reinforce its place as the youngest U.S. military branch, the Space Force is introducing an official naming framework for its mission areas, including a Norse-inspired set of names for orbital warfare systems.
During the Spacepower conference in Orlando, General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, disclosed the seven thematic categories. Space Force units spent roughly a year crafting these categories as “terms of reference we will use to cement the identities of space weapon systems,” Saltzman explained.
The seven categories are:
- Orbital warfare: Norse pantheon
- Cyber warfare: Mythological creatures
- Satellite communications: Constellations
- Space domain awareness: Ghosts
- Electromagnetic warfare: Snakes
- Missile warnings: Sentinels
- Navigation warfare: Sharks
This naming approach places the Space Force alongside a long-standing tradition in the U.S. military of theme-based labels for equipment and systems. For example, the Army has historically used mythological names for artillery and animal names for some vehicles.
Branding efforts amid a young service
Since its 2019 inception, the Space Force has faced challenges in clearly communicating its role, with branding that often left the public uncertain about what the service actually does. In September 2022, the Space Force released its own theme song, portraying itself as the “mighty watchful eye” and an “invisible front line.”
Later, in 2023, the Space Force replaced its original, lengthy mission statement with a brief nine-word phrase. The result — “Secure our nation’s interests in, from, and to space” — is concise but not especially memorable or explicit about the service’s purpose.
The new naming scheme aims to give the Guardians — Space Force personnel — a clearer sense of identity. Saltzman explained that the change is about fostering a culture where people feel personally connected to the mission. “We’ve chosen to represent each of our mission areas with specific symbology. These symbols convey the character of the systems, the importance of their mission, and the identity of the guardians who operate them.”
As the youngest branch, the Space Force had to avoid overlapping themes already in use. “We had to identify categories that you could own uniquely, such as ghosts, constellations, or other concepts that no one else could claim,” Saltzman noted.
One entry in particular stands out for its ambiguity: the category of space domain awareness, represented by Ghosts. The challenge is clear: how many distinct ‘ghosts’ exist in space to name systems after? This may be the trickiest category to pull off.
If you found this naming shift intriguing or controversial, share your thoughts below. Do these symbolic themes help people connect with a high-tech mission, or do they feel like a branding gimmick? And which theme would you most associate with space warfare — Norse gods, mythical creatures, or something entirely different?
