38 JFQ / Winter 2002–03

By L A N C E W. L O R D

In Enduring Freedom, U–2s are fly-ing over Afghanistan, collectingdata, and then sending it back to9th Intelligence Support Squadron

at Beale Air Force Base, where the im-agery is analyzed and potential target

coordinates are mensurated.The coordinates are passedalong to the Combined Air Op-erations Center at Prince SultanAir Base to prioritize and in-clude in the air tasking order.Coordinates and imagery sentfrom the United States are usedto match weapons with targets.This reliance on reachback iskey to expeditionary cultureand has reduced the number ofdeployed personnel. The capa-bilities provided by Air ForceSpace Command are an indis-

pensable but nearly transparent part ofwhat makes reachback possible.

In one of the most decisive bat-tles in Western history, Aetius defeatedAttila the Hun at the Battle of Châlonsin 451, in part because of a consider-able advantage gained by seizing highground on the enemy flank in an ini-tial battle. After many centuries andmyriad technological advances, thatGeneral Lance W. Lord, USAF, is Commander, Air Force Space Command, and

also has served as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, as well asCommander, Air University.

FORGINGSpace Warriors

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Winter 2002–03 / JFQ 39

tactic is still valid. Joint Publication 3-14, Joint Doctrine for Space Operations,highlights the fact that space is the ul-timate high ground, because it pro-vides global access and extensive ad-vantage. Within the Air Force, thosecapabilities and their battlefield effectsare the responsibility of Air ForceSpace Command, which organizes,trains, and equips space and missileforces to exploit and control the highground of space.

The joint force relies on space ca-pabilities that were not envisioned atthe start of the 1950s. Military capabil-ities originally developed for strategicpurposes have evolved to be employedon the operational and tactical levels.Space provided both satellite commu-nications and weather data to opera-tional-level commanders in Vietnam.The Phu Lam Signal Battalion was oneof the first units in the Army to deploysatellite capabilities, and the Air Forcebrought the defense meteorologicalsatellite program out of the blackworld to support warfighters. In DesertStorm, a range of space capabilities wasemployed, from navigation and timingto missile warning.

Space assets are key enablers inthe process of finding, fixing, tracking,targeting, engaging, and assessing anenemy—the so-called kill chain. Con-trolled through satellite relays, un-manned aerial vehicles attack targetson the ground. Satellite-guidedweapons such as the joint direct attackmunition are used with devastating ef-fect while minimizing collateral dam-age. Capabilities in space have becomecritical to military effectiveness. In histestimony before Congress, the Com-mander of U.S. Central Command,General Tommy Franks, USA, remarkedthat much of the success of EnduringFreedom would not have been possiblewithout those assets.

Providing and EnablingAir Force Space Command is both

a force provider and a force enabler. Itis an integrated organization of 40,000military, DOD civilian, and contractpersonnel who ensure that the systemsdesigned, built, and operated by thecommand provide capabilities for theArmed Forces to generate battlefield ef-fects. The command has three main

roles. First, it organizes, trains, andequips joint warfighters in the spaceand missile business. Second, it placesgreat emphasis on its componencyrole, not only on expertise in intercon-tinental ballistic missiles and space. Aspart of the joint team, Air Force Space

Command must be versed in land, sea,and air operations to provide capabili-ties to combatant commanders whenand where needed. And third, thecommand is helping to make the newrole of the Air Force as executive agentfor space a resounding success.

These three roles are critical to de-fending the Nation through the control

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Squadron at Cheyenne Mountain todetect, identify, characterize, track, andcatalog high interest space objects. TheSpace Situation Awareness IntegrationOffice was also recently established inColorado Springs to work on a numberof initiatives. For example, an effort isunderway to identify system require-ments for sensors and communicationlinks among satellites to determinewhether a spacecraft is the target of in-tentional interference. The office willmove the command beyond simplespace surveillance, fusing informationwith intelligence, reconnaissance, andenvironmental data to provide an inte-grated operational picture.

In terms of defense, the Air Forcehas added protective (survivability)countermeasures on a case-by-casebasis to satellite systems to protectagainst jamming, signal interception,and nuclear detonation. Active defen-sive counterspace measures includesatellite maneuvering and advancedantennas. Improvements are beingmade in detecting, characterizing, lo-cating, and assessing attacks or intru-sions into friendly operations. Work isalso being done to negate counter-space systems and prevent enemiesfrom exploiting U.S. capabilities. Last,spacecraft survivability is being en-hanced by improved tactics, tech-niques, and procedures.

The conventional offensive coun-terspace capability to negate enemy use

and exploitation of space. In support ofthat broad mission, systems and capa-bilities are grouped into four areas.

First, the counterspace mission area ad-dresses the need to gain and maintainspace superiority—control of space—asan initial step in space operations. Ashistory has demonstrated, the ability toexploit a medium comes with controlof it. Space force enhancement and ap-plication are mission areas that utilizeexploitation capabilities. Finally, spacesupport is a mission area that providesthe foundation of space operations.These four areas match the core compe-tencies that were recently refined byboth the Secretary of the Air Force andthe Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

CounterspaceThe military has historically

evolved to exploit new means ofwarfighting. The Montgolfier brotherstested the first hot-air balloon in 1783.Benjamin Franklin observed some ofthe trials in Paris and wrote home of

the military utility of balloons, predict-ing that they would be employed forspying, dropping bombs, and ferrying

invading armies acrossenemy-dominated seas.Eleven years after thosefirst tests, the Frenchused a tethered balloonto observe the battlefieldand direct fire against theAustrian forces at the Bat-

tle of Fleurus. The Austrians took ex-ception to what they regarded as a vio-lation of the Napoleonic code of war,and on the second ascent fired artilleryat the balloon.

Just as the Austrians challengedthe French after identifying a new cen-ter of gravity, those who are dependenton space should expect to be tested.The United States holds an asymmetricadvantage in space, and if history isany indication, potential enemies arewatching and learning. Space superior-ity—the freedom to conduct opera-tions without significant interferencefrom enemy forces—must be achievedin future conflicts. The counterspacemission area relies on space situationawareness, defensive counterspace, andoffensive counterspace.

Air Force Space Command uses aspace surveillance network that com-bines ground-based radars and opticalsensors to perform the space surveil-lance portion of space situation aware-ness. It enables 1st Space Control

space superiority—the freedom toconduct operations without significantinterference from enemy forces—mustbe achieved in future conflicts

Force Enhancement Mission Areas, Primary Orbits, and Current and Planned Systems

Mission Areas Primary Orbits Current and Planned Systems

Environmental Monitoring Polar Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Defense Meteorological Support Program (DMSP), National Polar-Orbiting OperationalEnvironmental Satellite System (NPOESS)

Communications Geostationary Orbit (GSO) Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) II, DSCS III, Global Broadcast System(GBS), Wideband Gapfiller System (WGS), Advanced Wideband System (AWS), Transforma-tional Communications System, Milstar, Advanced Extremely-High Frequency (AEHF) System,Ultra-High Frequency Follow-on (UFO) System, Mobile User Objective System (MUOS)

Position, Velocity, Time, Semi-synchronous Orbit Global Positioning System (GPS), GPS II/IIA, GPS IIR, GPS IIR–M, GPS IIF, GPS IIIand Navigation

Integrated Tactical Warning Polar Low-Earth Orbit and Defense Support Program (DSP), Space-Based Infrared Systemand Attack Assessment Geostationary Orbit (SBIRS) High, Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS)

Intelligence, Surveillance, Various Legacy Systems, Future Imagery Architecture (FIA), Integratedand Reconnaissance Overhead Signals Intelligence Architecture (IOSA)

Source: Joint Publication 3-14, Joint Doctrine for Space Operations, and Air Force Magazine, Space Almanac edition.

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of space consists of physical attacksagainst a terrestrial node. The near- andmid-term strategy for improvement inthese capabilities includes fielding ini-tial ground-based assets like mobilecountercommunications systems andcounter-ISR systems to deny and dis-rupt enemy use of satellite communica-tions and optical sensors respectively.

A growth area, the counterspacemission is being transformed by revo-lutionary space-based capabilities inthe mid and long term. One exampleis a space-based surveillance systemthat can provide details of space ob-jects unattainable by ground-based sys-tems. This development will expandon lessons learned from the mid-course space experiment, an advancedconcept technology demonstrator

sponsored by Air Force Space Com-mand. Another is an attack detectionand reporting architecture that can de-tect, characterize (identify and geo-lo-cate), and report attacks on space sys-tems as well as assess the missionimpact. Other concepts include activeprotection capabilities and full-spec-trum space-based systems to preventunauthorized use of friendly spaceservices and negate those of an enemy.

Space Force EnhancementMany space systems critical to

warfighting fall within the force en-hancement mission area. In this en-abling role, they provide missile warn-ing, navigation and timing, vitalcommunications, and environmental

monitoring to the joint warfighter.These capabilities, and perhaps moreimportantly integrating them withother assets, were demonstrated in En-during Freedom. Coalition forces usedunmanned aerial vehicles, precisionguided munitions, laser spottingequipment, and secure satellite radios,combined with veteran B–52s andhorseback riders. This unprecedentedintegration had devastating effects.

Currently, space provides the ca-pabilities to gather and disseminatetimely, highly accurate information toenable situation awareness and effec-tive command and control (C2) on alllevels.

■ Air Force Space Command missilewarning capabilities consist of defense sup-port program satellites and ground-basedradars to warn of missile attacks on theUnited States and Canada as well as theatermissile attacks.

■ The global positioning system (GPS)provides precision-positioning, navigation,and timing information, from basic naviga-tion and synchronization of communica-tions to basing, targeting, and terminalguidance of precision weapons.

■ Air Force Space Command operatesthe Milstar constellation and provides day-to-day command and control of the defensesatellite communications system (DSCS) toprovide the voice, data, and video links es-sential to military operations.

■ With the National Oceanic and At-mospheric Administration, Air Forceweather satellites (including defense mete-orological satellite program satellites andterrestrial and space environment sensors)provide battlespace environment forecastsvital to military planners and operators.

Systems are being replaced andupgraded to provide even betterwarfighting support while making thesystems more efficient, easier to main-tain, and more survivable.

■ In the near term, Air Force SpaceCommand will sustain the defense supportprogram and field the space-based infraredsystem to modernize and ensure an uninter-rupted and improved missile launch warn-ing capability. The first segment of this newcapability, the ground-processing segment,just declared initial operational capability.The enhanced launch detection and impactpoint prediction the system provides willgreatly improve response options for the-ater missile threats.

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being considered is the common aerovehicle, a conceptual maneuveringreentry system launched by a ballisticmissile or space launch system, deliv-ering a payload from a suborbital ororbital trajectory.

Space SupportAccess to space or spacelift as well

as on-orbit satellite operations is pro-vided through space support. For ex-ample, a DSCS satellite was recentlylaunched on a Delta IV from CapeCanaveral that will provide widebandcommunications for U.S. Central, Eu-ropean, and Pacific Command areas ofresponsibility over the Indian Ocean.Operationally, 1st Satellite Control Bat-

talion has responsibility for theArmy communications payloadand uses the Air Force satellitecontrol network to relay com-mands to the satellite via a re-mote ground station like that

operated by 50th Space Wing on DiegoGarcia. This combination of spaceliftand satellite control illustrates the mis-sion of space support.

Getting into space today requireslaunch systems—with medium- andheavy-lift expendable boosters—andthe ranges used for launch and testing.The Eastern Range is controlled fromCape Canaveral and the WesternRange from Vandenberg Air Force Base.In the near term, the transition isbeing made to evolved expendablelaunch vehicles, the Atlas V and DeltaIV, which represent a significant steptoward a more responsive spacelift ca-pability for both routine and time-sen-sitive military operations.

In addition to spacelift, space sup-port includes satellite operations. Thecommand operates a network of world-wide ground stations that monitor andcontrol satellites and their payloads.This allows on-demand operations ofgovernment space assets supporting thefull spectrum of military operations.Modernization includes implementinga strong operational training capabilityand work on an integrated client/servernetwork with global connectivityshared by all the space organizations inboth the civil and military sectors.

Moreover, Air Force Space Com-mand is currently transforming spacesupport capabilities by exploring

■ GPS satellites will be replaced withfollow-on systems that feature additionalmilitary and civil signals with improvedperformance.

■ Requirements for satellite commu-nications already exceed the capability. Thetransition from DSCS and Milstar to an in-tegrated system-of-systems approach for fol-low-on wideband and extremely high-fre-quency networks will significantly increasecapacity and data rates. Together with theTransformational Communications Office,efforts are underway to define an integrateddefense and intelligence transformationalsatellite communications and relay system(part of the larger architecture) to supportthe intelligence, surveillance, and recon-naissance information needed for informa-tion dominance and operational awarenessand to provide flexibility to support net-work-centric operations.

■ The evolution of the integratedcommand and control system for combat-ant commands will combine the missionsof North American Aerospace Defense Com-mand and U.S. Strategic Command into asingle system rather than replace a mission-unique, stovepiped collection of systems.

In addition, transformational ef-forts have been initiated to provide im-proved support to Air Force Space Com-mand. An initial space-based ground

moving target indication capability isbeing planned for the midterm that in-tegrates with air-breathing assets suchas the joint surveillance and target at-tack radar system, unmanned aerial ve-hicles, and the multimission commandand control aircraft. This will enableglobal strike forces to identify and trackmoving targets anywhere.

Space Force ApplicationIn addition to being a force en-

abler, Air Force Space Command servesas a force provider, operating spaceforce application capabilities that focuson nuclear deterrence and warfightingwith both Minuteman III and Peace-keeper ICBMs and the infrastructure to

maintain and protect them. Interconti-nental ballistic missiles were designedto deter attack and remain critical toglobal stability. The Air Force wascharged under the Nuclear Posture Re-view to “extend the life of MinutemanIII until 2020, while beginning the re-quirements process for the next-gener-ation ICBM.” Existing nuclear strikeforces are undergoing modernization,which will be critical to the offensivestrike leg of the triad—offensive strikesystems (nuclear and nonnuclear), de-fenses (active and passive), and respon-sive infrastructure.

The command is also developingan advanced, flexible, and responsiveglobal deterrent force as it exploresways to transform strike capabilitiesthrough the use of new types oflaunch systems and nonnuclear muni-tions. Options for conventional,prompt global strike would provide arange of selective lethality and couldbe fielded in the midterm. This capa-bility from and through space willtransform space force application.Most notably, a conventional strike ca-pability will provide the President andSecretary of Defense with space poweroptions for deterrence and flexible re-sponse when time is critical or otheroptions are too risky. One option

in addition to being a forceenabler, Air Force Space Commandserves as a force provider

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launch systems, rapid satellite check-out, and other technologies to providequick-turn, on-demand, assured spaceaccess for time-sensitive operations.The goal is an order of magnitude re-duction in costs. There are also effortsto examine the development of orbitaltransfer vehicles to reposition or booston-orbit assets and improve space-based elements of the launch and testrange to increase coverage while reduc-ing costs associated with the ground-based infrastructure.

Combat CapabilitiesSuccess in any mission area is im-

possible without capable people. As de-pendence on space grows, the Air Forcemust meet the challenge of acquiring,operating, and employing space assets.A proactive space professional develop-ment program safeguards nationalleaders in space and develops airmenas the heart of that combat capabil-ity—an Air Force core competency. The

recommendations of the Space Com-mission and the direction by the Secre-tary of Defense provide an opportunityto more deliberately focus on spaceprofessional development.

To implement this vision, a struc-tured approach to developing spaceprofessionals has been established. Itprovides a comprehensive blueprint toaddress training, education, and expe-riential needs while recognizing theroles of military and civilian person-nel. Additionally, it considers the disci-plines represented by the space profes-sional cadre, which accomplishescomplex functions to take interconti-nental ballistic missiles and space sys-tems from concept to employment.

The harder task of implementinginitiatives on the education, training,and experiential needs of the force willbegin soon. Given the importance andcomplexity of professional develop-ment, this will constitute a long-termcommitment. The Nation has the bestspace and missile operators and acquir-ers in the world and the Air Force willcontinue to improve on that standard.

Space superiority is essential to thevision of controlling and exploitingspace to provide the Armed Forces withan asymmetric advantage. AlthoughEnduring Freedom has provided thefirst opportunity for a fully integratedspace presence on all levels of warfare,the mission of Air Force Space Com-mand goes beyond any single opera-tion. Improved missile and space sys-tems, as well as concepts for theiremployment, will have greater results.As the security environment changes,more must be done to maintain themilitary advantages of the Nation. Atthe same time, achieving asymmetricadvantage through a capabilities-basedair and space force must be enabled. Tomeet that challenge, Air Force SpaceCommand will ensure unparalleledspace capabilities for joint forces whenand where they are needed. JFQ

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