A Roadmap for Assessing Space Weapons

Given advances in the space weapon capabilities of China and Russia, and the United States Space Force’s priority to project military power in, from, and to space, the United States needs a new debate on the merits of fielding U.S. space weapons. Since the last debate, the strategic context has changed dramatically, invalidating many of the previous debate’s core assumptions and primary alternatives. Thinking about space weapons cannot remain frozen in Cold War or post-Cold War era analysis and debates. The roadmap offered here will help the United States fully assess the merits of deploying space weapons, the best mix of space weapons, and how their development should be prioritized. The Department of Defense (DOD) cannot do it alone. The complexities of the issue require a whole-of government approach with contributions from academia, industry, and other partners.

Author: Michael Gleason, Peter Hays