Table Of Content

UUUUUnnnnniiiiittttteeeeeddddd SSSSStttttaaaaattttteeeeesssss SSSSSpppppaaaaaccccceeeee CCCCCooooommmmmmmmmmaaaaannnnnddddd VVVVVIIIIISSSSSIIIIIOOOOONNNNN FFFFFOOOOORRRRR 22222000002222200000 Feb 1997 A Historic Perspective—the Evolution of Space Historically, military forces have evolved to pro- Land Land Threat Forces tect national interests and investments -- both military and economic. During the rise of sea com- US NATIONAL merce, nations built navies to protect and enhance INTERESTS AND their commercial interests. During the westward INVESTMENTS expansion of the continental United States, mili- Sea tary outposts and the cavalry emerged to protect Sea Threat Forces our wagon trains, settlements, and railroads. Protection of Commerce As air power developed, its primary pur- AA UUSSPPRRII LLAANNDDPPOOWWEERR UISN TNAEARNTEDIOS NTASL SSLLEEAAAANND D PPPPOOOOWWWWEEEERRRR UISN TNAEARNTEDIOS NTASL pseoase o wpaesra ttoio snusp. p o rHt oawnde veenr,h aonvceer ltaimnde ,a anidr PPOORR SSEEAA PPOOWWEERR INVESTMENTS AAIIRRPPOOWWEERR INVESTMENTS power evolved into a separate and equal TT medium of warfare. Air Support Air Power of thTehsee emmoedregles.n cOev oefr sthpea cpea spto sweever rfaoll ldoewcsa bdoetsh, SSAEAELLIIAAAARRNN D DPPPPOPOPOOOOWWWWWWEEEEEERRRRRRSSUUCECEPPAAPPOPOPSS IUNISVN ETNAESATRNTMEDIOS ENTNASTLS LLSSAAEESSNNAAAPAIPIDDARRA CCPPPPEPEPOOOOOOPPWWWWWWOOEEEEWWEERRRRRREERR IUNISVN ETNAESATRNTMEDIOS ENTNASTLS RR TT space power has primarily supported land, sea, Space Support Space Power and air operations--strategically and operationally. During the early portion of the 21st century, space power will also evolve into a separate and equal medium of warfare. Likewise, space forces will emerge to protect military and commercial Land, Sea Land, Sea and and Air national interests and investment in the space Air Threat Forces US NATIONAL medium due to their increasing importance. INTERESTS AND INVESTMENTS Space Space Threat Forces Protection of Commerce “Joint Vision 2010 provides an operationally based template for the evolution of the Armed Forces for a challenging and uncertain future. It must become a benchmark for Service and Unified Command visions.” GEN John M. Shalikashvili Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Vision 2010 The medium of space is the fourth medium of warfare-- along with land, sea, and air. Space power (systems, capabilities, and forces) will be increasingly leveraged to close the ever-widening gap between diminishing resources and increasing military com- mitments. The Joint Vision 2010 operational concepts of domi- nant maneuver, precision engagement, full-dimen- sional protection, and fo- cused logistics are enabled by information superiority and technological innovation. The end result of these enablers Space power is vital to the attainment of Joint Vision and concepts is Full Spec- 2010 operational concepts trum Dominance. Informa- tion superiority relies heavily upon space capabilities to collect, process, and accurate missile warning and weather; and intel- disseminate an uninterrupted flow of information ligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance [ISR]) while denying an adversary’s ability to fully lever- to US forces. age the same. Space doctrine, organizations, training, ma- The emerging synergy of space superiority with teriel, leadership, and personnel will evolve to fully land, sea, and air superiority, will lead to Full Spec- realize the potential of space power. Space power trum Dominance. Space is a vital element in mov- forces play an increasing towards the Joint Vi- ingly critical role in pro- sion goal of being per- Information superiority viding situational aware- suasive in peace, deci- ness (e.g., global com- relies heavily upon space sive in war, and preemi- munications; precise nent in any form of con- capabilities navigation; timely and flict. Future Trends PPOOLLIITTIICCAALL EECCOONNOOMMIICC Although unlikely to be challenged by a global peer competitor, the United States will continue to be challenged regionally. The globalization of the world economy will also continue, with a widening between “haves” and “have-nots.” Accelerating rates of technological development will be increasingly driven by the commercial sec- tor -- not the military. Increased weapons lethality and precision will lead to new op- TTEECCHHNNOOLLOOGGYY MMIILLIITTAARRYY erational doctrine. Information-intensive military force structures will lead to a highly dynamic operations tempo. Accelerating rates of change will create challenges Space Trends Space systems, commercial and military, are proliferating throughout the world. Space commerce is becoming increasingly important to the global economy. Likewise, the importance of space capabilities to military operations is being widely embraced by many nations. Indeed, so important are space systems to military operations that it is unre- alistic to imagine that they will never become targets. Just as land dominance, sea control, and air superiority have become critical elements of current military strategy, space superiority is emerging as The challenge extends to space an essential element of battlefield success and future warfare. Implications for US Space Command The political, economic, technological, and mili- space systems will continue to increase. However, tary trends hold significant implications for the military must preserve certain core space ca- USSPACECOM. An increased dependence upon pabilities, e.g., missile warning, assured space space capabilities may lead to increased vulner- communications, and large portions of ISR. Other abilities. As space systems become lucrative mili- space capabilities, once the domain of the military targets, there will be tary, can reasonably mi- a critical need to control grate to the civil and com- Space systems will be targets the space medium to en- mercial sectors, e.g., sure US dominance on weather, GPS, and multi- future battlefields. Ro- spectral imagery. bust capabilities to en- Space operations sure space superiority must be fully integrated must be developed--just with land, sea, and air op- as they have been for erations. USSPACECOM land, sea, and air. must assume a dynamic Our adversaries can role in planning and ex- be expected to attain ecuting joint military op- ready access to space- erations. Included in that derived information planning should be the through the proliferation prospects for space de- of space systems. Turn- fense and even space key space systems are warfare. available to nations with Space superiority is essential Development of ballis- the necessary resources tic missile defenses using allowing for significant in- space systems and plan- creases in capabilities in a relatively short time. ning for precision strike from space offers a counter Military use of civil, commercial, and international to the worldwide proliferation of WMD. Space as an Area of Responsibility (AOR) Space is a region with increasing commercial, civil, international, and military interests and investments. The threat to these vital systems is also increasing. The space AOR Space is global and requires a combatant commander with a global perspective to conduct military operations and support regional warfighting CINCs. USSPACECOM is the only military organization with operational forces in space. Air Air Establishing space as an AOR merely states an opera- Land Land tional reality. Sea Sea USSPACEC Vision Control of Spac Just as land, sea, and air warfare has evolved, USSPACECOM, operat- ing in the space medium, will evolve to Global Engagem perform the missions required by the future environment foreseen in the trends and implications on the preced- ing pages. This Vision charts a course Full Force Integra to purposeful and orderly change. The two principal themes of the USSPACECOM Vision are dominating Global Partnershi the space medium and integrating space power throughout military operations. Today, the United States is the preeminent military space power. Our Vision is one of maintaining that preeminence -- providing a solid foun- dation for our national security. US Space Comman space dimension of to protect US natio investment. Integra into warfighting cap full spectrum COM Vision Operational Concepts ce To move towards the attainment of US our Vision, we have adopted four opera- Space tional concepts: ment Command Dominating the ••••• Control of Space Space Dimension Integrating ation ••••• Global Engagement Space Forces ••••• Full Force Integration ips ••••• Global Partnerships These operational concepts provide the conceptual framework to transform the Vision into capabilities. d - Dominating the military operations onal interests and ating Space Forces pabilities across the m of conflict. US Space Dominating the space dimension of military operations Integrating Space Forces into warfighting Control of Space Control of Space is information and nations the ability to assure ac- tap into this source for cess to space, freedom military purposes, pro- SSuurrvveeiillllaannccee AAssssuurree of operations within the ooff SSppaaccee AAcccceessss tecting (as well as negat- space medium, and an • Real Time • Spacelift ing) these non-military • Precise • Satellite ability to deny others • Complete ID Operations space systems will be- the use of space, if re- come more difficult. Due quired. to the importance of com- The medium of space merce and its effects on is recognized as the national security, the fourth medium of warfare. United States may evolve Joint operations require PPrrootteecctt NNeeggaattee into the guardian of the Control of Space to • Active and • Lethal and Non-Lethal space commerce--similar Passive • Temporary and Permanent achieve overall cam- • Self- • Destroy, Disrupt, Delay, to the historical example paign objectives. The Protection Degrade, Deny of navies protecting sea Control of Space will en- commerce. compass protecting US Control of Space is military, civil, and com- a complex mission that mercial investments in casts USCINCSPACE in space. a classic warfighter role The ability to dominate space As commercial space and mandates an estab- systems provide global lished AOR. Control of Space Capabilities ••••• Real-time space surveillance ••••• Timely and responsive spacelift ••••• Enhanced protection (military and commercial systems) ••••• Robust negation systems