utilize a command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) posture (including the development of SSA architecture) that allows the United States to develop and execute
space control plans and operations, specifically provide indications and warning of catastrophic space events, discover indications and warning of impending hostile
space control activities, maintain custody of threat systems, and deliver intelligence to support
space control options.
The first and most enduring mission of space forces is to gain relative
space control over enemies, enabling the space offensive while protecting friendly forces from hostile space actions.
Within the 16th
Space Control Squadron, four separate systems--built to monitor priority SATCOM and to detect, characterize, and geolocate sources of interference--were designed by different contractors to operate on three different networks.
Our focus on this core competency supports our remaining three National Security Space priorities--ensuring mission success in space operations, enhancing our
space control capabilities, and fully integrating warfighting and national intelligence space capabilities.
In particular, Teets has begun to speak out on the importance of superior space capabilities to meeting national security needs, addressing issues related to the exercise of force application as part of maintaining
space control. For example, in fall 2002 he told the Air Force Association:
Soon after the first "space war" and with the demise of the Soviet Union, Russia bowed out of the space race, and the United States effectively ceased major upgrades to its
space control enterprise.
Current plans to revise Joint Pub 3-14 call for consolidating it with the as yet unpublished Joint Pub 3-14.1 on
space control. This revision is slated to begin in April 2004 with an updated version of Joint Pub 3-14 to be issued in April 2006.
Current US and NATO space-mission areas include space-force enhancement,
space control, space support, and force application.
It covers four primary missions: space support operations, force enhancement,
space control, and force application.
Even though the answers to these questions seem to lie in the realm of policy and strategy, a commercial system currently in the research-and-development phase has the potential to turn ASAT warfare and the concept of
space control on its head.
Once established in-theater, the director of space forces (DIRSPACEFOR), who holds the delegated position of
space control authority, facilitates coordination between the joint force commander's (JFC) operational/tactical needs and national global/ strategic requirements.