The Best Defense: Charting the Future of US Space Strategy and Policy School of Advanced Air and

THE US IS AT A CROSSROADS WITH RESPECT TO SPACE. THE CHALLENGE THAT NOW PRESENTS ITSELF IS HOW TO CRAFT A STRATEGY THAT MAINTAINS THE UNITED STATES' ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE IN SPACE WHILE MOVING FROM THE CURRENT AGE OF UNCONTESTED ACCESS TO ONE WHERE AC... Read more

THE US IS AT A CROSSROADS WITH RESPECT TO SPACE. THE CHALLENGE THAT NOW PRESENTS ITSELF IS HOW TO CRAFT A STRATEGY THAT MAINTAINS THE UNITED STATES' ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE IN SPACE WHILE MOVING FROM THE CURRENT AGE OF UNCONTESTED ACCESS TO ONE WHERE ACCESS MUST BE ASSURED BY DELIBERATE ACTIONS. ALL MILITARY STRATEGIES ARE KEY TO THE OVERALL GRAND STRATEGY OF THE STATE, BUT THE US MILITARY STRATEGY FOR SPACE HOLDS A SPECIAL DEGREE OF INFLUENCE UPON THE OVERALL SUCCESS OF US GRAND STRATEGY. THIS SPECIAL DEGREE OF INFLUENCE DERIVES FROM THE CHARACTERISTIC OFFENSIVE OMNIPRESENCE OF ORBITAL PLATFORMS; JUST AS THE ADVENT OF INTERCONTINENTAL MISSILE DELIVERY SYSTEMS ESTABLISHED THE OFFENSIVE OMNIPRESENT THREAT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. AS SUCH, STRATEGISTS MUST TAKE SPECIAL CARE TO WEIGH NOT ONLY THE NECESSITIES OF THE MILITARY STRATEGY FOR SPACE, BUT ALSO THE BROADER IMPACT ON THE NATION'S GRAND STRATEGY. WHAT TYPE OF STRATEGY WOULD BEST ACHIEVE US SECURITY OBJECTIVES? SHOULD THE US ADOPT A LARGELY DEFENSIVE STRATEGY TO PROTECT ITS INTERESTS AND PRESERVE ITS ADVANTAGES OR DOES THE ADAGE THE BEST DEFENSE IS A STRONG OFFENSE HOLD TRUE FOR SPACE? THIS THESIS SEEKS TO INFORM MODERN-DAY SPACE STRATEGY DECISIONS THROUGH EXAMINATION OF HISTORICAL CASE STUDIES WHERE US STRATEGISTS AND DECISION MAKERS FACED SIMILAR HIGH STAKES NATIONAL SECURITY DECISIONS WITH UNCERTAIN OUTCOMES. ANALYSES OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES AND THE RESULTING CONSEQUENCES GIVE INSIGHT INTO THESE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND MAY INFORMUS ON THE POTENTIAL ROAD AHEAD FOR SPACE. THREE HISTORICAL CASES ILLUSTRATE THE DYNAMICS OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES AS WELL AS THE ULTIMATE STRATEGIC CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES. THESE CASES REVEAL HOW MILITARY SUPERIORITY STRATEGIES, FAITH IN, AND RELIANCE UPON TECHNOLOGY TO SOLVE COMPLEX NATIONAL SECURITY PROBLEMS, AND A STRONG PREFERENCE FOR OFFENSIVE SOLUTIONS AND POSITIVE ACTION TO SECURE US NATIONAL SECURITY CAN DRAMATICALLY PRODUCE THE OPPOSITE OF THEIR INTENDED EFFECT. THE EVIDENCE INFERS THAT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE US TO ADOPT A MILITARY STRATEGY FOR SPACE (AND ACQUIRE WEAPONS TO SUPPORT ITS FULFILLMENT) THAT UNDERMINES US GRAND STRATEGY AND DELIVERS LESS SECURITY. THE THESIS CONCLUDES THAT GIVEN THE CURRENT CONTEXT, THE US IS BETTER OFF PUSHING THE STATUS QUO IN SPACE WITHOUT PERTURBING STRATEGIC STABILITY, WHICH WILL HELP RETAIN THE POLITICAL, MILITARY, AND ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES IT HAS WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE. Less