Petersen Steven R. Space control and the role of antisatellite weapons

Air Univ Maxwell, AFB, AL, Airpower Research Inst, 1991. — 127 p.The United States seems headed toward a period of military austerity reflected in a substantially reduced force structure. As terrestrial weapons systems are reduced, space systems increase in numbers and applications. This study represents the first effort to tie together, in one document, US doctrine, policy, and implementation planning for the use of offensive weapons in space. Structured around the concept of space control, the author creates a picture of offensive space operations that are quite similar to traditional air superiority operations. This study provides a timely guide to the evolution of space as another theater of warfare. It identifies key doctrinal and operational challenges that lie ahead.