The Third Battle: Is the U.S. Ready to Wage the Next Conflict in Space
Abstract
The United States is now entering the third battle in space - a battle to go beyond space as simply a force enhancer to a position of space supremacy. National grand strategy has shifted from strategic engagement to primacy, where the U.S. must preserve supremacy by outdistancing any global challenger. Military doctrine is emerging to support that ideal in space. Is the United States really ready to embark on such a grand vision? The United States is the world leader in space because it won the first two "battles" in space. The first battle was won with the launch of the first photo reconnaissance systems and the deployment of a robust Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capability. The second battle was waged during the Cold War and saw the United States win the fight to integrate space into joint warfighting systems and doctrine. Today, there are serious questions about whether the U.S. can field a space force sufficiently powerful enough to dominate space. To pursue such an aggressive goal could actually erode the command of the space commons we maintain today. This paper analyzes the political and organizational issues the U.S. faces in space. The politics of U.S. grand strategy and national space doctrine are driving a discordant national security space doctrine. Existing space organizations are not equipped to lead the shift toward new and dynamic space missions. Political and organizational issues are forcing the U.S. to make difficult decisions in national security space that will affect the drive to win the "third battle".
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA476998
Entities
People
- Scott A. Henderson