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20 May 2011 Is space the ultimate high ground?
Gregory J. Meyer, Francis P. Stallings
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Proceedings Volume 8044, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications IV; 80440K (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.889117
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2011, Orlando, Florida, United States
Abstract
Military experts often refer to space as the ultimate high ground under the premise that placing systems in orbit provides advantages consistent with the military doctrine of high ground. Although space provides the ultimate "observation post", it has none of the other advantages traditionally associated with high ground. Army Field Manual (FM) 34-130 states the other advantages of holding key terrain: commanding avenues of approach, overcoming obstacles, and affording cover and concealment as additional benefits of high ground. Yet systems in orbit incur none of these additional advantages. Finally, international restrictions and reciprocity concerns limit the employment of weapons in space nullifying many of the unique capability advantages that would otherwise support the "high ground" aspect of space. As the ultimate observation post, satellites provide a large quantity of vital data to military decision makers. This massive amount of data needs to have as much context as possible to convert this data to useful knowledge. To use space assets optimally, the military needs to learn from the past and make space and cyber products distributed and tactical. It is absolutely essential to distribute the right information to the lowest level (tactical elements) of the organization or the "boots on the ground" in a timely manner.
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Gregory J. Meyer and Francis P. Stallings "Is space the ultimate high ground?", Proc. SPIE 8044, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications IV, 80440K (20 May 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.889117
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KEYWORDS
Satellites
Space operations
Space reconnaissance
Earth observing sensors
Lead
Satellite imaging
Oceanography
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