Command and Employment of Space Power: Doctrine for the Asymmetric Technology of the 21st Century

It is inevitable that mankind will weaponize space and likely this weaponization will take place in the next thirty years. The United States is in the early stages of a transition from using space assets to support combat operations on the surface of the earth to using space assets to conduct combat operations in space, from space, and through space. This paper discusses factors driving the United States to take its first steps to weaponize space. It is the time for the Air Force to start building the doctrinal framework for combat operations in, from, and through space to guide the technological development of space assets as the doctrine of strategic bombardment guided Air Force thought and aircraft development prior to World War II. This paper discusses the transition from an air to a space force by examining required changes to Air Force doctrine within the framework of its six core competencies if the Air Force is to organize, train, and equip aerospace forces to conduct combat operations in the space environment.