Space

GEN Joseph W. Ashy USAF
Commander in Chief, United States Space Command

Department of Defense Space Activities
20 March 1996 - Senate Armed Services Committee
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee:

I am honored to appear before this sub-committee as Commander in Chief U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM). We're proud of the fact that we have blended the men and women from all four services into this unique unified command.

In this 10th year after the Goldwater-Nichols Act, we believe our joint space organization is the right structure for today and for the future. U.S. Space Command, including our three Components--Army Space Command, Naval Space Command, and the 14th Air Force--are a cohesive team organized and focused on providing the right support to the National Command Authorities and to every Unified Commander-in-Chief around the globe. As a result,. the benefits that space provides are available to our land, sea, and air forces, as well as to national, civil and, in some cases, commercial users.

Much has changed since I last appeared before you, and I am pleased to report on our accomplishments. In this regard, I have two main messages today. The first is to highlight the increased readiness of the current space force structure and how it contributes to enhancing military operations. The second is to convey how we are preparing for the 21st Century to sustain the U.S. strategic advantage in space and meet the challenges we foresee!.

IMPORTANCE OF SPACE

It has been said that space is the ultimate high ground. Throughout history, military commanders have recognized theinherent advantages of controlling the high ground. Originally, a terrain feature provided this vantage point; later, in the 20th Century, airplanes assumed this role. Today, the ultimate high ground is space. Traditionally, land, sea and air comprised the operating media of the military. The latter decades of the 20th Century have witnessed the emergence of a fourth operational medium for the military--space. The use of space and control of this space medium are essential to today's military operations. Although the preponderance of our space assets are provided by the Air Force, forces in the field from every Service depend equally on space support to their operations. The way we are organized as a unified command both complies with GoldwaterNichols and provides for support of both functional and service entities in our unified command structure. I believe we have done this correctly and effectively.

STRATEGIC LANDSCAPE

Since the end of the Cold War, there has been increased emphasis on employment of our military force, either unilaterally or in multinational coalitions, in a wide variety of new missions. This often requires deployment to areas that lack the information infrastructure necessary to support those operations. Also, the imperatives of a smaller military force and rapid technological advances have coincided, leading our defense planners to shift emphasis to joint operations, precision weapons, and information dominance as the hallmarks of a 21st Century fighting force. Our national security policy ofengagement and enlargement has committed us to redouble our efforts to tackle global problems of arms control, transnational terrorism, international crime, and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Although the Cold War is over, we cannot completely ignore the strategic nuclear capabilities that still exist in Russia and China. Additionally, our national interests could be threatened by countries such as North Korea, Iran, Iraq, or Libya who seek to benefit from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and purchased technology.

Strategic arms reduction treaties and other arms control initiatives hold the promise of deep cuts in Russian strategic nuclear forces. Destruction of missiles and silos within Russia under the START I Treaty is well underway. We feel that Russian intentions with regard to nuclear conflict have changed, and we applaud that change. In fact, we hosted General-Lieutenant Anatoliy Perminov, the First Deputy Chief of Staff of Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces, on a visit to Air Force Space Command's ICBM facilities. However, large nuclear arsenals still exist in Russia, and the long-term political environment is not clear. In order to assure our security, we must not only consider intent, but also capabilities.

With regard to capabilities, Russia continues to place great importance on its strategic nuclear forces. It is modernizing the land-based missile force, progressing toward operational capability of its newest ICBM. Training deployments to the waters near our coastlines have included their quietest attack submarine, the Akula. They have also shown a commitmentto maintaining a modern, flexible, strategic bomber force. In the future, Russia's strategic forces will be smaller, but capable.

China is also enhancing its military capabilities, especially in the ballistic missile area. Last summer and this winter, China launched a number of ballistic missiles to an ocean area north of Taiwan. The threatened use of ballistic missiles is clearly part of their current posturing. In addition to being capable of threatening neighbors, China continues to develop its ICBM force with mobile ICBMs and the addition of the CSS-4 missile, capable of reaching the U.S.

Though Russia and China have the capability of threatening our homeland today, we also face the threat that ballistic missiles will be used against our forces or our allies around the world by a growing number of countries. More than 20 nations have acquired ballistic missiles or are in the process of doing so. Recent tensions over nuclear weapons production between North Korea and the US illustrate the complex diplomatic, political, and military challenges posed by this proliferation. Many of the nations which currently possess ballistic missiles are believed to be seeking nuclear, chemical, or biological warheads for them. Most of these missiles are derivatives of the Soviet-designed SCUD. Upgraded, longer-range versions could be deployed by the year 2000, but most will continue to have ranges of less than 1000 kilometers.

The development of cruise missiles, especially those designed for launch from sea-going vessels, is another concern.Cruise missiles-- fitted with nuclear, chemical, or biological warheads are difficult to detect and track. The regional threat of such weapons is here now. In the future, they could threaten North America.

MISSIONS

USSPACECOM is assigned mission in four specific areas: space forces support, force enhancement, space control, and force application.

Space Forces Support

Space Forces Support includes those actions required to put satellites in orbit (launch) and to keep them operating (satellite control).

USSPACECOM and 14th Air Force are responsible for military expendable launch vehicles and for supporting commercial launches from bases at Vandenberg and Patrick. Currently, there are four major military spacelift vehicles in the inventory. We use the Titan IV for heavy lift and the Atlas IIA, the Titan II, and the Delta II for medium lift. Over the last 12 months, all DoD launches achieved orbit.

Tc improve the timeliness of launches we have changed the way we do our launch scheduling so that the launcher, customer, builder, and acquirer all participate in a coordinated scheduling process. Launch schedules for the next 12 months are reviewed considering processing and buildup time, launch support, pad reconstitution, potential problems, and scheduling conflicts. Besides this review, we have established launch windows so thatthe launch operators can optimize conditions for success. The track record since implementation has been extraordinarily successful; and very importantly, our customers are satisfied.

We are also committed to improve cooperation in the commercial launch sector, and our support for commercial space activities is rapidly maturing. At Vandenberg AFB, we support eleven different commercial enterprises and have eleven more in the early stages of program introduction. Work on the California Commercial Spaceport is progressing, with initial operational capability planned soon.

In addition, Spaceport Florida plans to have the commercial spaceport at Cape Canaveral operational this year.

In the other part of the Space Forces Support mission, we operate a worldwide network of satellite control facilities to control or "fly" our satellites once they are launched. This network checks out new spacecraft, readies them for operations, then operates the spacecraft for the duration of their useful life. We continue to commit significant resources to modernize this satellite control network. For example, we have implemented several upgrades which significantly increase information throughput, improving network efficiency. These improvements will transition our current spacecraft command and control system from a mainframe-based architecture to a PC-based, openarchitecture system. This transition will simplify data presentation to our operators and consolidate satellite platform and payload operations. $81 million across the FYDP has beenremoved from this budget request in anticipation of the savings from the communications upgrades.

Force Enhancement

In the Force Enhancement (or space support to warfighters) area, the Command provides space-based navigation, weather, and warning of ballistic missile attack. We also consolidate and focus warfighter requirements for space-based intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance systems and space based communications capabilities.

Our satellite communications provide critical command and control connectivity not only to our warfighters everywhere in the world, but also to other U.S. government users. Specifically, the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) provides super high frequency secure voice and high data rate transmissions for worldwide military command and control, crisis management, relay of intelligence and early warning data, treaty monitoring, diplomatic and Presidential communications, and communications support for deployed tactical forces. DSCS also provides limited anti-jam worldwide connectivity for critical functions such as tactical warning and attack assessment, and emergency action message dissemination for the National Command Authorities, the Joint Staff, command centers and other users.

The Fleet Satellite Communications System and the UHF Follow-on (UFO) system provide UHF and EHF communications for mobile forces, including fleet broadcast services, command andcontrol communications, emergency action message dissemination, force direction and force reporting. The Milstar system provides extremely high frequency (EHF), survivable, low probability of detection, jam-resistant communications to tactical, mobile, and fixed users. Additionally, we'll be fielding an interim polar EHF capability.

We had five successful MILSATCOM satellite launches this past year-- one DSCS satellite, one Milstar, and three UFO satellites. These launches give us healthy constellations, in all frequency areas (SHF, UHF, and EHF) world-wide. We also repositioned a DSCS satellite last year to improve the communi. cations for our forces operating in the Balkans, and we moved another one over the Indian Ocean to improve our service to \

US forces in the European, Indian Ocean and Western Pacific theaters. Last December, we completed the first crosslinking between the two Milstar satellites documented by a "ribboncutting" message by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. USSPACECOM is assisting with the initial phase of the Global Broadcast Service called the Joint Broadcast Service. This new high capacity technology allows us to send more information like television, photos, and data directly to forward deployed users. USSPACECOM will ensure that the concept of operations and the operations requirements meet theater and component needs for the system of the future.

Navigation service is provided by the Global Positioning System, the world's largest satellite constellation consisting of 24-satellites. It provides 24-hour, all-weather, day/night,three dimensional, precise navigation and timing data to land, sea, and air-based users around the world. These users include U.S. and allied military forces, as well as other national security, civil, and commercial users.

We provide weather support to theater forces with the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. This polar orbiting system provides real-time weather data and other information directly to the theater warfighter. Direct weather support is growing even more important because of the proliferation of weapon systems using laser guidance and infrared imaging. For example, weather satellites are being relied upon to support the full range of JOINT ENDEAVOR operations. The President's decision to converge military and civil polar-orbiting operational environmental satellites will result in a merger of the follow-on programs for the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite. This cooperation will result in a projected savings for DoD and DOC of several. hundred million dollars over a 10-year life cycle.

To counter the threat of ballistic missile attack, USSPACECOM operates both ground and space-based systems as part of our warning mission. Our Defense Support Program satellites provide the space-based portion of the system. A network of ground radars provides a second means to detect attacks. Our ability to detect ballistic missile launches plays and important role in deterring attack.In addition, we have invested considerable effort to improve our ballistic missile warning for theater commanders. These Commanders depend on our improved system, the Theater Event System, to provide theater ballistic missile attack data in their areas of responsibility. This recently operational theater system consists of elements from the Air Force, the Army, and Navy and provides considerable improvement over the system used in Desert Storm.

USSPACECOM is also the warfighter's voice in space-based reconnaissance requirements. Information products derived from space provide key intelligence support. Information from spacebased reconnaissance is an increasingly important tool for theater commanders in preparing for and waging war. We are helping to develop requirements for a force structure which will ensure adequate collection, processing, exploitation, and most importantly, dissemination of real-time information to support warfighting requirements around the world. We do this by working with the intelligence, acquisition, and space communities, together with frequent discussions with the theater commanders. This process has contributed to increased emphasis on responsive tasking, an improved information distribution system, emphasis on survivability of key ground facilities, and increased attention to warfighter requirements including broad area surveillance and the precision location of targets.Space Control

Our third mission, Space Control, is of growing importance because our increasing dependence on space resources. It includes space surveillance, denying an adversary's use space capabilities, and protecting our own space assets.

We have several ongoing initiatives to improve our surveillance of space. These include fielding of two electrooptical tracking systems and deployment of a new ground-based radar capability. These improvements to the Space Surveillance Network will improve our ability to track and image objects in deep space.

Because the use of space-based services is rapidly increasing, and the number of nations with access to militarily useful satellites is also growing, it is imperative we ensure our freedom to use space, as well as to deny its hostile use by an adversary. There are about 34 foreign nations or international consortia which have space capabilities for national or membership use.

We must also be concerned about a potential adversary's use of our systems or those of our allies for hostile purposes. We work within our government, as well as with other governments, to find solutions to the problem of use of these systems by adversaries in the event of conflict. Negotiated agreements to deny an adversary's access to commercial systems, for example, will become increasingly important.

Because our dependence upon space, both military and civilian, is growing, we must consider the protection of ourspace assets. Protection techniques include such things as maneuvering, hardening, redundancy, and autonomy. Users of space systems must have confidence they will be there when needed. We are the world's leader in space, but our leadership in this field depends upon our ability to ensure our unhindered use of space and an ability to deny an adversary's use in conflict.

Force Application

USSPACECOM's fourth mission is space force application. Although still in the conceptual stage because no space-based weapons exist, this mission area considers future operations in direct support of other combatant commanders and the National Command Authorities.

The Unified Command Plan also establishes that USSPACECOM should plan for the possible operation of a National Missile Defense system, if the decision to deploy such a system is made by the nation. In view of the increasing interest in this subject, we are doing considerable work in developing an operations concept.

PREPARING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

While the readiness of our current space force structure is very high, we face a continuing need to modernize our force structure and to better integrate space capabilities into the operations of our military forces. These imperatives must be carried out during a period that demands we reduce the cost of operations in space. To successfully chart our course throughthis period, we are developing a mechanism for dealing with the trends that will lead us to the 21st Century.

National Space Policy

Progress brings with it new policy challenges. Space operations offer a means to enhance our global presence and interaction. Obtaining the maximum benefit to the nation from the investment in space is an essential element of the forthcoming National Space Policy. The new national policy, an update to the one signed in 1989, will deal with rapidly changing space and strategic landscapes. We expect it to reconfirm the importance of military space operations to our national security.

Global Positioning System National Policy

We have also been in close coordination with development of national GPS policy. The President's commitment to provide GPS signals to the international civil aviation community and to other peaceful users of radio navigation and positioning systems is one we can support. At the same time, we are concerned about limiting the potential use of the GPS by adversaries, while protecting our own ability to use it. In this regard, and in consonance with our Unified Command Plan responsibilities, we have developed requirements for systems to address this issue and expect them to be validated this spring.DoD Space Reorganization

Both DoD and Congress recognized that DoD needed a better organization to oversee space management issues. This last year has brought significant and positive changes to improve the situation. We participated in the decision process to make these changes, and are extremely pleased to now have an appropriate level of emphasis on coordinating and acquisition and development of our space systems. DoD recently added the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Space to oversee the space policy and acquisition process. The Space Architect has also been established to develop an integrated space architecture and to coordinate with appropriate counterparts in the Intelligence Community. The Joint Space Management Board is a forum for senior management in DoD and the Intelligence Community to address and coordinate defense and intelligence space policy, acquisition, architecture, funding, and related issues. USCINCSPACE is a member of this Board and, along with the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, will provide representation from the warfighters' perspective. We believe these are the right organizations to bring the coherence we need to our space programs. Integrating Space Forces into Military Operations

One of the most important initiatives and responsibilities of USSPACECOM is to integrate the use of space assets into the normal warfare planning process and operations. By doing so, we hope to normalize or "operationalize" space capabilities and theleverage they provide. We want to make support from our space forces understandable, usable, and accessible. We want the theater CINCs and their assigned forces to understand what space systems bring to the fight in the same way they understand what air, land, and sea forces provide. If we successfully do this, and we believe we have made excellent progress in this past year to that end, then it will enhance our overall warfighter effectiveness.

We are developing and fielding of a computer-based system which makes space support data available to the warfighter at the theater level. It's user friendly, can be deployed easily, and has been standardized with all our Components. This tool, called TSOC or Theater Support Operations Cell, will be a vital element in helping users understand both the capabilities and limitations of the space systems available to them. This, in turn, will lead to using space systems in a more routine way. Feedback from the field has been excellent.

Our Joint Space Support Teams and Service Component Space Support Teams are also a success story. We saw the need to take space support to the field. These Space Support Teams have helped integrate space at all levels through assistance in deliberate planning, training, exercising, crisis planning, and actual execution. The value-added to theater CINCs can be seen in the direct support we have given to all phases of military planning and operations. The Joint Space Support Teams are the arm of USSPACECOM that reaches out to theaters and brings awealth of space expertise--again--understandable, usable, and accessible.

Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS)

Our number one priority acquisition program --SBIRS-continues to make progress. This sensor will begin to replace the Defense Support Program Satellites just after the turn of the century. This system is essential to strategic users as a replacement to DSP and to theater users because of its ability to detect the emerging threat missiles. Last year, the Defense Resources Board endorsed a "High Now, Low Later" architecture and the SBIRS requirements were validated. More recently, on August 4, 1995, two contracts were awarded for 15-month design efforts. Requirements, funding, and acquisition activities have come together superbly--all are on track for getting the warfighter an improved ballistic missile warning capability on time in 2002. In the year ahead, we look forward to the refinement of requirements, and continued fast-paced acquisition. We have been actively engaged with the user and the developer communities in performing a cost versus performance trade analysis. The result will be a user-influenced balance between affordability and operational utility. In the fall, we expect to down-select to one contractor with the start of Engineering Manufacturing Development phase at the beginning of fiscal year 1997. We believe this program continues to deserve your strong support.Missile Defense

Ballistic Missile Defense of North America and of our forces in world- wide theaters is something about which we must be concerned. As mentioned earlier, the theater missile threat continues to proliferate. We support efforts to develop and field theater systems to protect our forces and our Allies and friends from ballistic missile attacks. We will contribute to these efforts through the development of the Space-Based Infrared System--which will be a critical warning element.

Turning from the theater threat, we just received a new intelligence estimate on the ballistic missile threat to North America.

We believe DoD's three point strategy to counter the ballistic missile threat strikes the right balance between near term actions and longer term needs. We must consider in this balance technical achievability, affordability, and program executability. We must seek to prevent the threat from growing and reduce the numbers of missiles, deter our adversaries from using their missiles, and prepare ourselves to defend against ballistic missile attacks.

Satellite Communications

Satellite communications have evolved into the most versatile, global means to provide key information to the mobile warfighter. This year, satellite communications is in the top ten of every Unified Commander- in-Chief's priorities. The major challenge facing us is to meet the growing need for criticalinformation when our current communications satellite constellations start to play out in the 2003-2006 time frame.

Virtually every warfighting system we are building depends on information. We are relying on precision weapons, tightly linked sensors and shooters, current intelligence, situation awareness, and ultimately dominant battlespace awareness and knowledge, to win future conflicts. These information-intense systems depend upon high capacity connectivity to be effective. Modern, precise, lethal systems cannot be effectively employed without connectivity. Satellite communications provide that connectivity to commanders, soldiers, sailors, and airmen in the field who must be mobile to carry out tactical movements. Because we must operate anywhere on the globe in harsh and austere environments, spaceborne communications can provide the flexibility and mobility to meet these needs.

The smart use of new commercial satellite and terrestrial communication technologies offers quantum improvements in our ability to rapidly disseminate large amounts of information to the warriors on the move. For example, by leveraging commercial technology, we can quickly provide warfighters with a powerful information transfer capability through satellite broadcast. DoD has initiated a Global Broadcast Service program to send unprecedented quantities of information to the troops in the field through Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) that add little to the weight and volume of the warfighters' load. The Joint Broadcast Service, an Advanced Concept TechnologyDemonstration in Bosnia mentioned earlier, is an example of how we are using that technology today.

Global Broadcast Service capability is just one of the areas we intend to exploit. We need bigger and better satellite "pipelines" than our current systems can provide. We have started planning for our next generation satellites before our current systems begin to reach the end of their expected lifecycles. Programs such as the Defense Satellite Communications System Service Life Enhancement Program, the Milstar Medium Data Rate satellites, and the interim Global Broadcast System on our UHF Follow-on spacecraft, will deliver more capability out of our current assets as we plan and field new capabilities. We are correctly positioned to chart our course for satellite communications and field systems that will meet the needs of the warfighter well into the future.

Spacelift

We have stepped forward to solve the problems of spacelift which resulted from the tragic "Challenger" accident and the erosion of our ability to compete commercially with the rest of the world's spacelift. We are moving to make the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program a reality. As a nation, we are investing $2 billion to significantly reduce the cost of launch. Our goal is for-this new family of vehicles to cost us 25 to 50 percent less than current spacelift systems in lifecycle costs. The Air Force is the lead Service and expects the major cost reduction will be through modularization and standardization which willeffectively result in increased production at less cost per unit.

Lower operating costs are expected due to reduced manpower and improved standardization in our space launch infrastructure. We are working with industry to develop a standard payload interface, launch platforms, and infrastructure for both the medium and heavy lift configurations of EELV. This system must launch responsively in accordance with long range, deliberative planning. Launch vehicle performance, reliability, and standardization are other basic requirements for EELV. Four different contractors are now using our EELV operational requirements as part of the 15-month low-cost concept validation phase. The Initial Operational Capability of EELV, starting in year 2001, will move toward much needed, improved expendable launch systems.

International Space Cooperation

In the post-Cold War era, economic, political, technological, and even military factors have taken on new significance in defining and cementing key international relationships. The environment for international space cooperation is likely to be characterized by reduced federal spending for space activities, a narrowing of the economic and technological difference between the U.S. and potential partners, greater recognition of and competition in commercial applications of space, and a greater probability of coalition military operations. As the quality and quantity of space systems grows, the need for cooperative links between national security, civil,commercial, and international space cooperation also grows. Our Allies have recognized the importance of space applications to increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of modern military forces.. By taking advantage of this recognition and U.S. and Allied space capabilities, we can contribute to strengthening current alliances and contributing toward stability and deterrence. Integrating allied capabilities into distributed space constellations could provide greater space force robustness while reducing costs to the U.S. Cooperation also offers the added benefit of enhancing allied interoperability needed for effective coalition military operations. In addition, cooperation forms the basis for expanding the relationships between Allies for greater control of data from each country's military, civil and commercial space systems during conflict. Finally, cooperation increases the combat effectiveness of the individual Allies thereby enhancing the deterrent potential of the alliance structure and their stability.

From the operational perspective, increased international space cooperation holds promise for improving support to theater and strategic forces. If we can cooperate with friends and Allies to enhance support, while fostering larger national security goals, we can enhance our contribution to military operations.

Since our ground-based facilities span the globe, we continue to work with our friends and Allies on space cooperation. Our long-standing relationships with Australia andwith the United Kingdom are excellent examples of cooperative efforts to provide warning of ballistic missile attacks.

We are also engaged with DoD and Joint Staff supporting various efforts in international space cooperation. To provide deterrence and enhance stability in a very dynamic and changing world. We are preparing to provide warning data which can be shared with our friends and Allies. We expect implementation of shared warning with NATO and Japan this year. We are also involved in specific efforts with France and Canada this year. Additionally, we support the military-to- military contact program with nations of the Former Soviet Union. Last year, Air Force Space Command hosted a GLONASS delegation from Russia to visit our Global Positioning System units. We anticipate a counterpart visit to their country this year. We also visited Ukrainian satellite control facilities this year and hope to sponsor a reciprocal visit later this year. Furthermore, in support of USACOM, we expect to participate in a US-Russian theater missile defense exercise this summer.

CLOSING

The men and women of USSPACECOM and our Components are the reason we provide high quality space operations to our nation. In turn, their contribution would not be possible without the best recruiting, the best training, and the best equipment in the world. We must maintain our emphasis on these three key elements of the force to maintain our preeminent position as the world's greatest nation. Along with this is our need to assureappropriate quality of life for our personnel. We ask a lot of our people, and they exceed our expectations. We must not break this trust.

Mr. Chairman and members of this sub-committee, thank you again for permitting me to convey our priorities and accomplishments to you. It is an honor to serve our nation with such great men and women and I'm pleased to be here again.