Pentagon’s New ‘Defense Space Strategy’ Fixates on ‘Great Power Competition'

June 21, 2020 (EIRNS)—On June 17, the Pentagon released a new military space strategy, “which identifies how Department of Defense will advance spacepower to be able to compete, deter, and win in a complex security environment characterized by great power competition,” according to the DOD press release on it. A fact sheet was also issued. The unclassified document summary of the “Defense Space Strategy” charges “Chinese and Russian strategic intentions and capabilities present urgent and enduring threats to the ability of the Department to achieve its desired conditions in space,” and threats from North Korea and Iran are also growing.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper explained:

“The Defense Space Strategy is the next step to ensure space superiority and to secure the Nation’s vital interests in space now and in the future. We desire a secure, stable, and accessible space domain that underpins our Nation’s security, prosperity, and scientific achievement. However, our adversaries have made space a warfighting domain and we have to implement enterprise-wide changes to policies, strategies, operations, investments, capabilities, and expertise for this new strategic environment.”

The strategy has three objectives: Maintain Space Superiority; Provide Space Support to National, Joint, and Combined Operations; and Ensure Space Stability.

To achieve these objectives, it proposes four lines of effort:

• Build a comprehensive military advantage in space.

• Integrate military spacepower into national, joint, and combined operations.

• Shape the strategic environment.

• Cooperate with allies, partners, industry, and other U.S. government departments and agencies.