The Army's Interest in Space Control

Abstract

The Army is critically dependent on Space capabilities to enable and enhance land warfare. Virtually every Army operation uses Space capabilities to some degree. Today, we use Space largely for its ability to enhance the effectiveness of our combat forces. We can communicate; navigate; target, find, and fix the enemy; anticipate weather; and protect our forces based on combat and support assets available from Space. We also strive to control Space so adversaries cannot overcome our asymmetrical advantages in Space. Space provides tremendous leverage to the Army's land warfare capability. The Army views Space as a vertical extension of the battlefield and an integral part of the battlespace, one that has been especially instrumental during the ongoing Global War on Terrorism. The Army's transformation also integrates Space into all phases of planning and operations as a core element of that process. The Army's future force, serving as part of the joint force, will be even more adaptable and lethal, leveraging the capabilities of the ultimate high ground. The nature of warfighting is changing rapidly, and the Army's strategic role in Space is evolving as a result. Our dependence on Space will increase in the future as Space-based capabilities enable the future force concepts of information superiority, enhanced situational awareness and high-tempo, non-contiguous operations. Space use will increase as technology propels us toward more flexible and less expensive access, and development of more comprehensive Space warfighting tools. History and the march of technology tell us that the time will come when we use Space not only to enhance land warfighting capabilities, but also for direct combat, in other words, force application from Space.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA523990

Entities

People

  • Brian E. Moore
  • Charlotte Scharer

Organizations

  • United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Operations
  • Battle Management
  • Battlefields
  • Combat Areas
  • Combat Forces
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Ground Based
  • Information Operations
  • Information Warfare
  • Land Warfare
  • Situational Awareness
  • Space Based
  • Space Control Operations
  • Space Environments
  • Space Operations
  • Space Systems
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space