Vol. 42, June 2023
Key Points
All U.S. joint force operations depend on U.S.
freedom of action in space, but adversary
weapons, especially those fielded by China,
are now capable of disrupting, degrading, and
in some cases, defeating U.S. space systems
that were designed for an uncontested
operating environment.
Existing U.S. efforts to establish norms of
responsible behavior in space and increase
the resiliency of its space architecture are
necessary but not sufficient to deter Chinese
aggression in space credibly.
The U.S. Space Force must develop a suite
of defensive and offensive counterspace
systems to protect America’s vital interests
in space and defend against adversary space-
enabled attacks.
The Space Force is stretched thin to meet
its current operational requirements with
a budget that is smaller than any other U.S.
military service. Developing, testing, and
acquiring counterspace capabilities and the
forces to operate them will require additional
funding and modest end strength growth to
provide a responsible balance of capabilities
and capacity to meet the growing threat.
Space is on the front line of America’s strategic competition with China.
Capabilities in this domain are essential to the U.S. military’s ability to deter
threats and project war-winning combat power. e United States has designed
and sized its military forces assuming they could depend on continuous access
to space capabilities and eects. is assumption is no longer valid.
China has already elded an alarming array of operational counterspace
weaponry, including an arsenal of ground-launched missiles carrying anti-
satellite kinetic kill vehicles, ground-based electronic warfare capabilities, and
satellites capable of attacking U.S. assets in orbit. China has the most rapidly
developing counterspace capabilities of any nation and is expanding its overall
space program with the intent to surpass the United States.
It is not in the U.S. interest to see conict in space. Existing U.S. eorts to
promote norms of responsible behavior and increase the resilience of its architecture
are necessary but not sucient to deter the growing threat of Chinese aggression.
Just like services in other domains, the U.S. Space Force must have a robust suite
of defensive and oensive capabilities to credibly deter adversaries. Clear guidance,
Congressional support, and unied Space Force and industry eorts are required to
develop, eld, and operate counterspace capabilities to enhance deterrence and create
a war-winning force. Not taking this next step in the service’s maturation risks a
failure to deter China and will jeopardize the national interests of the United States.
Abstract
Building U.S. Space Force
Counterspace Capabilities:
An Imperative for America’s Defense
by Charles S. Galbreath
Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
MITCHELL INSTITUTE
Policy Paper
Image: European Space Agency (ESA). Illustration depicts distribution of space debris.
