Deterring and Dissuading in Space: A Systems Approach

摘要

Space capabilities have improved life in the United States and around the world, enhanced security, protected lives and the environment, sped information flow, served as an engine for economic growth, and revolutionized the way people view their place in the world. In fact, the need to ensure those vital space capabilities are available has never been greater. This paper examines the importance space capabilities play in military and civil activities. It evaluates the concepts of dissuasion and deterrence, identifying the importance of each in a new defense policy spectrum. It addresses space control operations, the means used to ensure friendly access to necessary space capabilities and to deny the same to an adversary. Finally, the paper proposes a systems approach to the characterization of the operational environment. Dissuasion and deterrence play vital roles preventing potential adversaries from challenging our space capabilities, and a systems approach to space control policies and actions provides valuable insight into the second- and third-order effects that result in the highly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous security environment of the 21st century.