Space as a Warfighting Domain

October 2018 Space as a Warfighting Domain Dr. Brent Ziarnick, Air Command and Staff College Director, Schriever Scholars NDIA Space and Missile Defense Working Group Hunstville, AL 18 October 2018

Space as a Warfighting Domain • “We must and we will embrace space superiority with the same passion and sense of ownership as we apply to air superiority here today. The nation demands it. And we will deliver. We must always be the predator and never the prey.” – CSAF General David Goldfein, 17 April 2018

A Space Officer’s View of Warfighting • “In a high end conflict, initial engagements may begin in our domain and we will have to fight for space superiority. Our combat skills must be honed, must be ready, and must be decisive. Combat readiness fortifies deterrence, and should deterrence fail, delivers decisive results.” – General Jay Raymond AFSPC/CC

Historically, the United States enjoyed unimpeded freedom of action in the space domain Delivering intelligence collection, missile warning, weather monitoring, satellite communications, and precise position, navigation, and timing Operating globally with unmatched speed, agility and lethality However, the environment has changed Potential adversaries understand our space domain competitive advantage They are working hard to exploit that reliance, and to deny, disrupt, degrade and destroy our space systems Why a Space Warfighting Construct?

The current US space enterprise was not designed or optimized to fight through and deliver key warfighting effects in, from and through today’s contested space domain We must provide a more resilient architecture to prevail if conflict extends into space Why a Space Warfighting Construct? Ground Site Attack Laser Damage (HEL) NUDET in Space GPS Jamming Interceptors Laser Blinding SATCOM Jamming LESS SEVERE / MORE REVERSIBLE MORE SEVERE / IRREVERSIBLE Data Manipulation System Takeover Attack Weapon Systems Service Denial Malicious Code Data Theft Attack Infrastructure

USAF’s Space Warfighting Construct Space Warfighting Construct Vision of a space enterprise that can fight through conflict Space Enterprise Vision Space Warfighting CONOPS How we fight to ensure success as a national security team Integrating CONOPS Strategic C2 SSA and I&W Preparing warfighters for combat against a thinking adversary Space Mission Force Our deployed force structure and supporting systems Resilient Architecture Ability to outpace the threat with DOTmLPF-P and materiel solutions Enterprise Agility Integrating the capabilities of USG (DoD/IC/Civil) with Allies and the Commercial Sector. Partnerships

SEV developed jointly by AFSPC-NRO in 2015 Charts a course to a resilient space enterprise by 2030 Deter aggression within the space domain and, when necessary, prevail in a multi-domain conflict that extends to space Space Enterprise Vision • Challenges us to change long-held operating practices and principles, now unsuited to outpacing rapidly maturing threats “Our vision is to first normalize space operations as a joint warfighting domain; no different than any other warfighting domain. Only when we think about and talk about space in the same way we talk about operations in the air, on land, at sea, or in cyber will we move in the direction of truly integrating space operations across all warfighting domains” - General D. Goldfein, CSAF, 3 Feb 2017

Time- and technology-tested principles that guide effective application of military capability to achieve commanders’ objectives for national interests Documented as operational concepts Matured through analysis and war games Inculcated into operating forces through training and exercises Space Warfighting CONOPS Integrating CONOPS Strategic C2 SSA and I&W • USAF and NRO created a series of CONOPS to strengthen unity of effort across the national security space enterprise • Full spectrum of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, education, personnel, facilities, and policy options • Describes a joint force conducting multi-domain operations to meet national objectives

The human capital of the Space Warfighting Construct Revolutionizes the way we train our forces Must operate in contested, degraded and operationally-limited environment Space Mission Force • Prepare to recognize and react to adversary threats • Advanced training scenarios that hone warfighting skills • Stimulate development of tactics, techniques, and procedures to maintain freedom of action across the spectrum of conflict • Normalizes space training with the rest of the USAF • Provides higher confidence in readiness • Ensures consistent presentation of space forces to Combatant Commanders

The joint force succeeds with a resilient ground and space enterprise, employing multiple attributes of mission assurance A more diversified and proliferated space segment, able to absorb losses Resilient Architecture DoD Space Domain Mission Assurance Taxonomy • Integrated, interoperable ground stations governed by common operating and data sharing standards • Persistent situational awareness, synchronized by proliferated, defensible, and modern C2 • Informed by a scalable and adaptive common operational picture enabling real-time decision-making at all echelons of command

Responsive to new and changing threats Rapidly integrate new capabilities to make warfighting force more effective Agility must extend through the entire space warfighting enterprise Learn about threat; develop solutions; acquire, test, deploy and operate new systems – ensuring space mission force is ready to defeat thinking adversary in complex multi-domain battlespace Enterprise uses all elements to speed decision-making, prototype potential solutions, rapidly integrate decision-making tools and sustain winning capability Deliver multi-domain effects in, from, and through space and cyberspace Enterprise Agility

There is a global interest in preventing a conflict from extending into the global commons of space Commerce, Security, Science and Exploration, and an interconnected global society all flow through space Capabilities of US, Allies and commercial endeavors all contribute to security Each partner brings unique strengths Integrating these capabilities creates a framework for stability and success Partnerships

“The Space Warfighting Construct is how we normalize space as a warfighting domain, consistent with warfare in every other contested domain. Success demands that we understand how we will fight, prepare our Airmen, acquire war-winning capability and partner with friends and Allies.” Gen Jay Raymond Commander, Air Force Space Command Conclusion

Space as a Warfighting Domain