Integrating the High Ground: Enabling Defense, Civil and Commercial Space Support to Nation-Building

摘要

Since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the employment of space capabilities has increased dramatically in combat operations. Experience from the ongoing contingency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan reveals that military planners employ space capabilities to enhance kinetic operations. This linkage occurs due to military planner's familiarity with the effects space capabilities bring to combat. As nation-building missions grow in frequency and scope in the twenty-first century, there will be an increased need to optimize space capability integration to support non-combat missions. This requires a paradigm shift and employment of space capabilities traditionally considered outside the scope of military uses. In order to achieve this end, the U.S. Government needs to enact three significant changes regarding the employment its organic space power: (1) reform doctrine and training; (2) enable sufficiency- of-government; and, (3) ensure integrating functions exist to bridge operations and plans at the appropriate levels. Through comprehensive enactment of the proposed recommendations, space capabilities will advance toward optimal employment for use in future U.S. led nation-building missions.