Generals Warn Space, the Final Frontier, Is First Theater of 21St Century Combat

Spaceplanes are brimming with weaponry and satellites that capture “space architecture,” Directed-energy lasers, electromagnetic shockwaves and missile-test debris field are used to threaten the orbital paths that tie the planet.

These are not highlights from an upcoming Sci-Fi Channel TV series but could be part of a History Channel documentary since all of the above has already happened in all of the above—that is, from the blue sky all the way above into the black of Earth’s near-space.

Although space may be the last frontier, it is also the first theater for war. This was demonstrated by Russia’s cyberblinding of Ukraine’s GPS satellite networks and those of other European countries before its February 2022 invasion.

Within the United States military, there are two entities primarily engaged in defending the nation’s interests in space—which include 8,225 satellites in low-Earth orbit and nearly 1,000 in geosynchronous orbit (GEO)—in a shared “area of responsibility” This is 62 miles from the surface of the Earth.

The nation’s space-keepers include the 18,000-member United States Space Command. This is an all-service command that falls under the Department of Defense (DOD). The 8,600-member United States Space Force was established in December 2019.

Space Command and Space Force are responsible for ensuring security of global satellite communications. “space domain awareness,” Offensive and defensive “space control effects,” all essential for military command and control operations in outer space as well as on Earth.

The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee has been meeting since early March with Space Command and Space Force commanders—as it will with many military officials through June to ferret through the DOD’s $886.3 billion Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budget request—to discuss threats in space and what they need to combat them.

China’s Spaceplanes

On March 6, Space Command General James Dickinson, testified before the committee about, among other matters, the Pentagon’s request for $33.3 billion to develop. “resilient space architecture” Improve its space command and control capabilities.

Space Force Chief for Space Operations Gen. B. was present before the committee on March 14. Chance Saltzman, Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. B., testified before Congress about the $30 billion FY24 budget request. This is a $5.5B increase over what Congress approved this fiscal year.

Saltzman said that such investments are necessary because the U.S. “relies heavily on assurance that its space capabilities will be there” In a military conflict, it is vulnerable to bad actors who are aware of its reliance on it and the training and equipping they need to take advantage.

“The Chinese and the Russians have gone to school on us,” He said. “They’re prepared to put us behind the eight ball” Instantly in any military confrontation

Both countries have large investments. “counter-space capabilities” These include a variety weapons that they have tested and in some cases deployed. They could also expose global communications assets to danger, he stated.

Dickson presented several important points to the panel during his appearance before them. “counter-space” Weapons development by the Chinese and Russians

The People’s Republic of China developed spaceships with armed weapons that can glide in low Earth orbit and knock out satellites. It also conducted its first ever launch in 2021. “fractional orbital launch” A ballistic missile could be carried in a hypersonic glider that can launch weapons quickly from space to the ground.

Russia Destroys Satellites

Russia carried out an anti-satellite (ASAT), missile test in November 2021. “foreshadows the future of warfare” Saltzman, who was addressing senators, confirmed that the company has made significant investments in areas of space.

Russia’s operational space comfort was clearly displayed when it invaded Ukraine. “enemy” Communications systems are threatened globally by communication systems “retaliation” Ukraine taps into commercial satellites to counter this.

Saltzman explained that Russia’s technological advances in electronic warfare, and in directed energy weapons, are all intended to make an enemy in space insurmountable.

“Space is a force modifier and they want to attack it” We will start with cyber-attacks against ground stations. “the ground also part of space,” He said.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said, “They say war with China will begin in space,” I asked Saltzman whether he agreed with the following. “they say.”

He said he does because space war is already being waged, making Space Force’s initial mission the most important. “avoidance of operational surprise” By a bad actor.

Space defense will be best if it is a collective defense built on an alliance “like-minded nations” Saltzman stated that they want space co-existence peacefully for commercial development.

The United States leads a global effort “to establish norms of responsible behavior” to guide how nations conduct business in space, he said, noting the DOD has published a proposed ‘Tenets of Space Behavior’ and the United States has signed onto the seven-nation Coalition Space Operations Initiative that recognizes “we have to behave a certain way if we want a safe, sustainable space domain.”

China, Russia—and increasingly North Korea and Iran— “aren’t interested in this” effort, Saltzman said. “Unfortunately, the norms they are talking about are not the ones we support, and they don’t like the norms we support.”