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Space Command Wraps Up Wargames to Simulate Future Orbital Fights
Written by: Lesley Conn
U.S. Space Force illustration of a future satellite design.
Credit: Space Force Three weeks of space wargames that demonstrated future national security needs wrapped up Tuesday, U.S. Space Command announced.
The Apollo Maneuvers tested the command’s plans for “maneuver warfare” in orbit. It’s a new doctrine that Space Command’s Gen.
Gen. Stephen Whiting spoke to U.S. space defense capabilities at Space Foundation’s 41st Space Symposium.
Stephen Whiting announced during Space Foundation‘s 41st Space Symposium in April. The command compared the exercise to the 1941 Louisiana Military Maneuvers that prepared the United States for World War II.
“Operating from a static, predictable orbit leaves our assets fighting from an easily targeted, fixed position,” Whiting stated in a news release. “To perform, survive, and gain advantage in the space domain, we need maneuverability and survivability in our capabilities.”
Leaders Imagine Future Fights
Most details on the wargames remain classified. Space Command’s comparison to the Louisiana Maneuvers likely means leaders practiced with planned future capabilities that can be simulated before they are fielded.
U.S. Space Force illustration of a future satellite design.
Credit: Space Force
The Apollo Maneuvers included practice for maneuvering satellites from low Earth orbit, a few hundred miles above the planet, to geosynchronous space, more than 22,000 miles above Earth.
Allies, Commercial Firms Participate
The wargames also included key allies that are part of the multinational space awareness and defense partnership called Operation Olympic Defender: The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Vandenberg Space Force Base in California ran the wargames. Space Command’s Commercial Integration Cell was also included. The unit uses capability from industry to augment military might.
The command said the exercise allowed leaders to refine what critical systems must be fielded for the United States and its allies to deter aggression in orbit and maintain space capabilities if a war reaches beyond Earth.
“Exercises such as Apollo Maneuvers allow us to demonstrate the requirements and capabilities needed to maneuver for advantage within the space domain,” Whiting stated. “Executing coordinated activities across multiple orbits through live-fly elements enables us to reinforce the warfighting advantage of our partnerships by refining tactics, examining contested logistics, and developing satellite servicing requirements.”
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