Space—A Key Enabler of Effective Land Force Operations

Space—A Key Enabler of Effective Land Force Operations

November 06, 2002

Space enhances all aspects of military operations, as has been evidenced in the ongoing war on terrorism. The conduct of military operations is no longer limited to the traditional dimensions of land, sea and air. The Army views space, the new high ground for military operations, as a vertical extension of the battlefield and an integral part of the battlespace. Space capabilities are key force multipliers for land force operations. As such, the Army leverages the overhead constellation of national military and civilian space platforms for beyond-line-of-sight communications; position, navigation and timing; weather, terrain and environmental monitoring; missile warning; blue (friendly) force tracking; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)The integration of these space-enabled enhancements into military operations creates the ability to achieve the information superiority and full battlespace awareness necessary for full-spectrum dominance. Operationalizing space capabilities, protecting space assets and denying adversaries the ability to leverage space to their advantage are critical to our national security and the Army’s ability to conduct fullspectrum operations.