Star Tek-Exploiting the Final Frontier: Counterspace Operations in 2025
Abstract
Space superiority like air superiority today will be a vital core competency in the year 2025. US national security is already heavily leveraged in space a trend which will increase in the future. Likewise other countries and commercial interests will continue to seek the valuable table "high ground" of space. Where space interests conflict, hostilities may soon follow. Protecting the of space and controlling, when required, its advantage is the essence of counterspace. This paper demonstrates the need far, and the means by which, counterspace operation will be conducted in the year 2025. A number of factors will drive the need for a robust counterspace capability in 2025. Space will be seen as a vital national interest based on its significant role in maintaining national security. in addition, the ability to operate freely in the space theater of operations will drive the United States (US) to implement capabilities to protect its vast array of space platforms as well as those of its friends and allies. Finally, the importance of space assets in achieving information dominance will force a serious examination of the requirement for developing offensive counterspace capabilities and placing nonnuclear weapons in space. in order to field credible and effective counterspace capabilities, the US must take advantage of current leaps in computer technologies and nurture advances in other areas. Successes in miniaturization technologies, such as nanotechnology and microelectromechanical systems, will spawn advances in space detecting and targeting capabilities and space stealth technologies. in turn, kinetic and directed energy weapon system will likely constitute the backbone of future offensive and defensive counterspace capabilities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA392588
Entities
People
- David C. Johnson
- Douglas S. Black
- Robert H. Zielinski
- Robert M. Worley Ii
- Scott A. Henderson
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College