Space Support: Enabler of the Unit of Employment
Abstract
This monograph addresses the concept of how space support provides the enabling functions to facilitate the Unit of Employment's attainment of full spectrum dominance from the operational to tactical battlefield. It demonstrates the relevance of the space operations essential tasks to enable the Unit of Employment (UE) Concept. There are five Space Operations Essential Tasks: Support increased deployability and reduced theater footprint; achieve situational understanding Off the Ramp during entry operations; support precision maneuver, fires, sustainment, and information; enable continuous information and decision superiority; and protect the force during all phases of the operation. The integration of these five tasks, their capabilities and functions and the denial of these benefits to adversarial forces are crucial to the UE concept of operations. Space operations enables the objective force to achieve the characteristics envisioned for it by Army's Transformation Plan. This support resides in three key areas: C4ISR, space control, and force protection. Space support seamlessly integrates into all land force operations and remains a vital component of the Objective Force. The theater commander can directly access responsive and reliable space-based support across the entire spectrum of conflict. The United States' ability to control space ensures the uninterrupted use of space-based assets to facilitate command and control and the protection of the force. The successful transformation of the U.S. Army will, to a very large degree, depend on how it leverages joint space capabilities to enable the transformational concepts of the Objective Force. The conclusions prove that Units of Employment will be a space-enabled force reliant on continuous overhead constellation of communications, navigation, ISR and imagery, weather, and missile warning satellites that will integrate seamlessly land, air, and space operations to ensure operational and tactical dominance. 7
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA416179
Entities
People
- Edward J. O'neill
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College