Space Power: Military Imperatives in Australia's Environment.

摘要

This paper will examine why the military use of space power is ideally suited to Australia's geopolitical environment and how the Australian Defense Force can use space assets to effectively increase the utility of existing terrestrial based forces. Australia has been slow to accept the military use of space and its untapped potential. Space, as the newest dimension of military warfare, must overcome political, economic, and organizational prejudices before acceptance as a unique military dimension with its own unique policy, doctrine and strategy. Space can provide a very positive contribution to defense throughout the range of credible contingencies. Thus, to ensure Australia is provided with the best defense capability within budgetary constraints, the ADF must recognize the importance of the dimension of space. Accordingly, the future challenge for the ADF is to formulate a viable military space policy and doctrine that provides a vision for the future employment, organization and integration of space assets into the ADF in order to provide the optimum defence structure for Australia's continued security. (JHD)