Space Support at the Operational Level: How Have We Learned the Lessons of Desert Storm?
Abstract
While space support in Desert Storm was widely acclaimed, it also revealed a significant gap between the US military space and warfighting communities. Planning was done ad hoc. Doctrine was absent. Ground infrastructure to exploit the capabilities of space-based force enhancement, such as the Global Positioning System, was severely underdeveloped. These problems pointed to widespread deficiencies in educating the military-at-large on the contributions space has to offer to theater operations. US Space Command has taken the lead in improving space support to the warfighters, but a myriad of other military and government agencies actively participate in shaping how that support is planned for, allocated, and performed. A variety of new outreach programs provide the mechanism for ensuring coordinated and comprehensive education, training, exercise support, and planning assistance, tailored to the regional command's needs. However, the development of space operations doctrine is lagging well behind other initiatives. What is being considered for publication (proposed Joint Pub 3-14), lacks vision in exploiting space as one of the enabling elements of the emerging 'system of systems.' Timely, accurate, and reliable surveillance, warning, navigation, intelligence, and environmental data embedded in a secure communications and processing network can revolutionize a commander's situational awareness and battlefield dominance. The powerful force-multiplying effects of space force enhancement will best be realized if integrated into the overall joint operations battle management, command, control, communications, and information architecture.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 12, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA307333
Entities
People
- Theresa M. Phillips
Organizations
- Naval War College