TACSATS for NATO
Abstract
Tactical satellites, called TacSats, have the potential to offer significant advantages to a theatre commander. The use of strategic satellites during Operation Desert Storm clearly showed the utility that space can bring to the conduct of theatre military operations. However, strategic satellites are quite expensive, are limited in number, and, most importantly, were designed to meet strategic rather than tactical needs. The purpose of this Advisory Report is to demonstrate that TacSats possess the potential to enhance and enlarge the essential information needed by a theatre commander. TacSats must be affordable, flexible, and responsible to the requirements of the theatre commander. Affordability limits the weight of TacSats - generally to less than 750 kg. It is also achieved by allowing the commander to obtain the needed space assets in smaller incremental quantities than if he must use expensive and large strategic satellites. Flexibility is demonstrated in this Report by showing TacSats can meet at least six important mission needs: battlefield surveillance, communications, missile warning and assessment, regional maritime surveillance and environmental observations, weather, and navigation. Responsiveness is accomplished by shorter revisit times permitted by a greater number of satellites, since they are affordable, in optimized orbits. In addition to these capabilities TacSats can be used synergistically with strategic satellites as supplements or complements to the strategic missions when not needed by a theatre commander.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA277710
Entities
Organizations
- AGARD