Strategic Force Multiplier: The Importance of Space in the Army's Future

Abstract : The Army has been involved in Space since an Army team launched the first U.S. Explorer satellite in the 1950s. Since then, the Army's use of Space has evolved to become fundamental to the successful conduct of military operations. Today, the Army relies on very sophisticated Space-based systems to provide unprecedented reconnaissance, imagery, sensor, communication, and intelligence capabilities to reduce the fog and friction of war. But is Space critical for the future success of the Army? Will the current trend of reliance of Space products by the Army continue to increase? The success of Army Transformation and how the transformational force will conduct future military operations depends on it! In 1997, the U.S. Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) sponsored an Army After Next War Game with the intent of determining how the Army would fight future battles. At the start of the war game, the first significant loss was the ability of U.S. forces to use Space-based systems and capabilities. This caused a large degradation of the communication and reconnaissance information available to the warfighter, resulting in reduced situational awareness on the battlefield. The commander was not able to accomplish the mission. In one bold sweep, Army After Next War Game removed all doubt among senior Army leadership concerning the central role that Space would play in future Army operations.