Space and the Joint Fight

Key Points

Technology has extended space progressively deeper into warfare, while potential adversaries are working to extend warfare further into space. The former calls for new arrangements to provide tactical space reconnaissance; the latter demands recognizing where and how space is essential to the emerging joint fight.
The measure of merit for military space is enhanced combat capability. Military space must evolve to the assured provision of uniquely essential space capabilities designed, acquired, and operated to enable combat effects that bring success on the battlefield.
Planning for tactical space reconnaissance largely reflects the efforts of previous decades to extract warfighting support from systems designed for other purposes and operated by another community. Substantial analytic work is needed to shape effective responses both to foreign threats (soon) and to budget exigencies (sooner).

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