Space Weapons Earth Wars

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that EDUCATION AND THE ARTS helps improve policy and decisionmaking through ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT research and analysis. HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE This electronic document was made available from INFRASTRUCTURE AND www.rand.org as a public service of the RAND TRANSPORTATION Corporation. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS LAW AND BUSINESS NATIONAL SECURITY Skip all front matter: Jump to Page 16 POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Support RAND Purchase this document TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY Browse Reports & Bookstore Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore RAND Project AIR FORCE View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND electronic documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND electronic documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. The monograph/report was a product of the RAND Corporation from 1993 to 2003. RAND monograph/reports presented major research findings that addressed the challenges facing the public and private sectors. They included executive summaries, technical documentation, and synthesis pieces. SpaceSpace WeaponsWeapons EarthEarth WarsWars Bob Preston | Dana J. Johnson | Sean J.A. Edwards Michael Miller | Calvin Shipbaugh Project AIR FORCE R Prepared for the United States Air Force Approved for public release; distribution unlimited The research reported here was sponsored by the United States Air Force under Contract F49642-01-C-0003. Further information may be obtained from the Strategic Planning Division, Directorate of Plans, Hq USAF. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Space weapons : earth wars / Bob Preston ... [et al.]. p. cm. “MR-1209-AF.” Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8330-2937-1 1. Space weapons. 2. Space warfare. 3. Astronautics, Military—United States. 4. United States—Military policy. I. Preston, Bob, 1951– UG1530 .S72 2002 358'.8'0973—dc21 00-045926 RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND® is a registered trademark. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of its research sponsors. © Copyright 2002 RAND All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from RAND. Published 2002 by RAND 1700 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050 201 North Craig Street, Suite 102, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-1516 RAND URL: http://www.rand.org To order RAND documents or to obtain additional information, contact Distribution Services: Telephone: (310) 451-7002; Fax: (310) 451-6915; Internet: [email protected] PREFACE Since at least the era of Thomas D. White as Air Force Chief of Staff, the Air Force has espoused the full use of the medium of space for national security. Its 1997 vision document, Global Engagement: A Vision for the 21st Century, made clear that the Air Force recognizes that any further1 use of space will be driven by national policy, international events, . and threats. How- ever, the nation will expect the Air Force to be prepared to defend U.S. interests in space when necessary. Since then, the topic of full exploitation of space for national security has become prominent in current congressional interest. A national debate on space weapons seems near. In preparation for that debate, this report is intended to provide a common vocabulary and common expectations of the possibility, utility, legalities, and limitations of using space weapons in terrestrial conflicts. This report defines and classifies these weapons, describes their different attributes, and explains how they might be used. It explores ways in which the United States and other countries could decide to acquire such weapons. It also explores the ways they could be acquired. The study was sponsored by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Pro- grams (AF/XP). The result should be of interest to a wide audience ______________ 1Beyond intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; warning; position location; weapons guidance; communications; and environmental monitoring. iii iv Space Weapons, Earth Wars interested in the military use of space and national security space policy. Project AIR FORCE Project AIR FORCE, a division of RAND, is the Air Force federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) for studies and analysis. It provides the Air Force with independent analyses of policy alternatives affecting the development, employment, combat readiness, and support of current and future aerospace forces. Research is performed in four programs: Aerospace Force Develop- ment; Manpower, Personnel, and Training; Resource Management; and Strategy and Doctrine. CONTENTS Preface ......................................... iii Figures ......................................... ix Tables.......................................... xiii Summary ....................................... xv Acknowledgments................................. xxv Abbreviations .................................... xxvii Chapter One INTRODUCTION .............................. 1 Purpose ..................................... 1 Scope ....................................... 2 Organization .................................. 3 Chapter Two BACKGROUND ................................ 5 History ...................................... 5 Early Rocketry ............................... 5 Satellite Feasibility Studies ...................... 6 Dawn of the Space Age ......................... 8 Bombardment Satellites ........................ 9 Defenses ................................... 12 ABM Treaty ................................. 13 The Strategic Defense Initiative .................. 14 Post–Cold War ................................ 15 Current U.S. Policy and Plans .................... 15 Legal Considerations ............................ 17 v vi Space Weapons, Earth Wars Space Treaties ............................... 18 Arms Control Treaties ......................... 20 Other Treaties ............................... 21 Chapter Three SPACE WEAPONS KINDS AND CAPABILITIES ......... 23 Types of Space Weapons ......................... 23 Directed-Energy Weapons ........................ 24 General Characteristics ........................ 24 Targets .................................... 26 Medium ................................... 27 Weapon.................................... 28 Basing ..................................... 31 Example: Laser for Missile Targets ................ 31 Mass-to-Target Weapons ........................ 36 General Characteristics ........................ 36 Kinetic-Energy Weapons Above the Atmosphere ...... 37 Kinetic-Energy Weapons Against Terrestrial Targets ... 40 Conventional Weapons Against Terrestrial Targets .... 45 Chapter Four EMPLOYMENT ................................ 51 Employment .................................. 53 Functions and Tasks .......................... 53 Component and Sequence ...................... 57 Command.................................... 60 What Is Commanded .......................... 61 How They Are Commanded ..................... 63 Who Commands Them ........................ 65 Chapter Five HOW MIGHT THE UNITED STATES ACQUIRE SPACE WEAPONS? ................................... 67 How Might the United States Decide? ............... 67 Deliberate Decisions to Acquire .................. 68 Incidental Decisions to Acquire .................. 75 Assuming a Decision to Acquire, How Might Transition Occur? .......................... 77 Incremental Decision ......................... 77 Monolithic Decision .......................... 79 Scope, Sequence, and Visibility of Implementation .... 80 Consequences ............................... 81 Contents vii Chapter Six HOW MIGHT OTHERS ACQUIRE SPACE WEAPONS? .... 85 Peer Competitor ............................... 86 Definition .................................. 87 Decision ................................... 88 Transition .................................. 89 Friend or Ally ................................. 90 Definition .................................. 91 Capability .................................. 91 Decision ................................... 92 Transition .................................. 93 Neither Ally nor Adversary ........................ 94 Definition .................................. 94 Capability .................................. 94 Decision ................................... 95 Transition .................................. 97 Nonpeer Adversary ............................. 96 Nonstate Coalition ............................. 98 Summary .................................... 98 Chapter Seven CONCLUSION ................................ 101 Advantages ................................... 101 Access and Reach ............................ 101 Responsiveness .............................. 102 Distance ..................................

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