The U.S. Air & Space Force

by Joe Katzman at February 26, 2004 12:06 AM

As we've pointed out, the U.S. military depends on a lot of technologies that require satellites and other space-based resources: GPS, smart bomb guidance, battlefield communications, surveillance, and more.

Unsurprisingly, the U.S. Air Force's Transformation Flight Plan of November 2003 makes U.S. dominance of space a top Pentagon priority in the new century. It runs through dozens of research programs designed to ensure that America not only maintains its capabilities, but builds the ability to protect its own assets and strike its enemies in and from space.

Make no mistake... the U.S. Air Force is becoming a space force too.

In order to get the U.S. Air Force moving toward that goal, a number of space-related transformational capabilities are described in the plan. Some of theseare seen as needed in the near-term (until 2010). Others are described as mid-term efforts in 2010-2015, and still others are viewed as far-term, beyond 2015. Some of these have already been partially funded, while others are still on the drawing board.

Defense Tech has an excellent round-up of the program and some of the issues, filled with useful links.

For those who are more interested in the details and some of the specific programs, here are some selections. They were grouped alphabetically in the Space.com article, but I've tried to group like items together to help you see the whole picture, and also explain them in English where necessary:

  • Counter Surveillance and Reconnaissance System: A near-term program to deny, disrupt and degrade others' space-based surveillance and reconnaissance systems.
  • Counter Satellite Communications System: Provides the capability by 2010 to deny and disrupt an adversary's space-based communications and early warning.
  • Air-Launched Anti-Satellite Missile: Small air-launched missile capable of intercepting satellites in low Earth orbit and seen as a past 2015 development.
  • Ground-Based Laser: Fires laser beams through the atmosphere to Low-Earth Orbit satellites to provide robust, post-2015 defensive and offensive space control capability.
  • Evolutionary Air and Space Global Laser Engagement (EAGLE) Airship Relay Mirrors: Significantly extends the range of both the Airborne Laser and Ground-Based Laser by using airborne, ground-based or space-based lasers and bouncing them off space-based relay mirrors. Using different laser powers and frequencies can achieve a broad range of effects, from illumination to destruction.
  • Space-Based Radio Frequency Energy Weapon: A far-term constellation of satellites containing high-power radio-frequency transmitters that possess the capability to disrupt/destroy/disable a wide variety of electronics and national-level command and control systems. It would typically be used as a non-kinetic anti-satellite weapon.
    Translation: satellites that can just fry or damage the electronics on other satellites, without having to blow them up. We think this one will take a while to develop.
  • Hypervelocity Rod Bundles: Provides the capability to strike ground targets anywhere in the world from space. Just drop the metal rods, and let gravity and guidance systems tdo the rest. (JK: Shades of "David's Sling"!)
  • Orbital Transfer Vehicle: "Significantly adds flexibility and protection of U.S. space hardware in post-2015 while enabling on-orbit servicing of those assets."
    Translation: "orbital tugboats" and quick-to-launch boosters.
  • Orbital Deep Space Imager: "A mid-term predictive, near-real time common operating picture of space to enable space control operations."
    Translation: an on-screen map of where everything is, and where it is likely to be. Takes in data from surveillance systems etc. This task is also made easier by the fact that space-based objects move in ultra-predictable orbits most of the time rather than maneuvering like planes.
  • Space-Based Space Surveillance System: "A near-term constellation of optical sensing satellites to track and identify space forces in deep space to enable offensive and defensive counterspace operations."
    Translation: spy satellites designed to be pointed at space, rather than at targets on the ground.
  • Rapid Attack Identification Detection and Reporting System: A family of systems that will provide near-term capability to automatically identify when a space system is under attack.

I really do recommend the Defense Tech article, however.

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