The increasingly contested space domain and the proliferation of missile technology pose significant challenges to our national security and the security of our allies. Adversaries seek to counter U.S. military strengths by developing asymmetric weapons, including low-cost ballistic missiles and a range of counter-space capabilities. These asymmetric developments, in turn, challenge the operational reach of U.S. forces and our assured access to the global commons.
The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command (USASMDC/ARSTRAT) conducts space and missile defense operations and provides planning, integration, control, and coordination of Army forces and capabilities in support of U.S. Strategic Command. Additionally, we serve as the Army force modernization proponent for space, high altitude, and missile defense, and conduct mission-related research and development. The Soldiers and Civilians of this uniquely organized and geographically well-positioned, multi-component command work to keep pace with growing asymmetric threats. This article highlights our current contributions to space and missile defense, and describes our efforts to shape the Army space and missile defense capabilities of the future.
Today's Forces: Contributions to our National Defense
As the largest user of space capabilities in the Department of Defense, the Army requires a clearly defined plan for space operations. Over the last year, USASMDC/ARSTRAT developed an Army Space Operations Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA) to evaluate space mission areas and articulate current and emerging Army space operational requirements. This space CBA informs the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System. It guides Army science and technology efforts and capability development by prioritizing requirements and developing recommended solutions based on gaps and operational risk.
Specifically, USASMDC/ARSTRAT Soldiers and Civilians provide mission-critical satellite communications (SATCOM) support to the Warfighter and to the Nation. The command operates five Wideband SATCOM Operations Centers (WSOCs) and four Regional SATCOM Support Centers that provide uninterrupted SATCOM capabilities to users across the globe. Our WSOCs serve as Satellite Command and Control Centers for the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites, two of which were activated last year. We also achieved an important milestone by forging a partnership with the Australian government that, in exchange for access across the WGS constellation, provided funding for the WGS-6 satellite. Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and New Zealand followed Australia's lead and have provided funding for WGS-9 in exchange for similar SATCOM access. It important to note, Allied funding and cooperation enables an overall 20% increase in wideband SATCOM capacity for Warfighters and users across the U.S. Government.
Additionally, USASMDC/ARSTRAT is developing cost effective and responsive satellite technologies to mitigate the loss or disruption of SATCOM. Last year we launched five nanosatellites, including an Operationally Responsive Space Enabler Satellite and four Government Experimental Multi-Satellites, bringing the number of nanosatellites on orbit to seven and helping to ensure space-based communications for the Warfighter.
In missile defense, USASMDC/ARSTRAT continues to play a critical role in our national defense. Provocation by rogue actors, such as North Korea's missile launches earlier this year, serve as a reminder of the need for protection against Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) attack. USASMDC/ARSTRAT's 100th Missile Defense Brigade (MDB) provides the nation with a 24/7/365 defense against such an attack to our homeland. Based at Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, the Soldiers of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion operate the Global Missile Defense Fire Control Center, a crucial command and control component for our Ground Based Interceptors (GBI).
Our four Joint Tactical Ground Stations (JTAGS) provide in-theater missile launch detection and infrared event reporting from globally dispersed locations. Four AN/TPY-2 Forward Based Mode (FBM) Radars have been deployed around the world in support of Geographic Combatant Commanders, providing early detection, warning, and target discrimination, the critical first step of successful missile defense. USASMDC/ARSTRAT Soldiers operating the JTAGS, FBM Radars and GBIs constitute the Army's contribution to the Joint kill chain for homeland protection and regional ballistic missile defense. These missile defense capabilities also enhance the protection of our allies and partners while serving as a deterrent to rogue actors.
Tomorrow's Capabilities: Innovation for Future Defense
As the Army's proponent for space, USASMDC/ARSTRAT will continue to develop future space capabilities in support of Warfighter requirements. Our 1st Space Brigade's modernization efforts will transform the way Army Space Support Teams provide tactical space support to Army and Marine Corps Headquarters, and the ability of WSOCs to control an increased number of on-orbit payloads. Our Force Tracking Mission Management Center (FT-MMC) continues to mature, providing continuous Force Tracking data services to Department of Defense and Interagency users and helping enable mission command. The FT-MMC recently assumed responsibility for the Tagging, Tracking and Locating (TTL) data fusion and dissemination architecture supporting Close Access Target Reconnaissance and Hostile Forces TTL programs. Additionally, we will deliver the next series of nanosatellites, to include three additional communications spacecraft and two imaging spacecraft.
We are also helping to develop doctrine to codify space situational awareness (SSA), provide an understanding of defensive space control, and teach leaders about the application of space capabilities. As the proponent for implementation of the Army Space Training Strategy (ASTS), we are implementing a training and leader development strategy to improve the understanding of space capabilities across the Army. This strategy addresses key components of space training and education for Soldiers at every grade level through doctrine, professional military education, exercises, home station training and at the Combat Training Centers.
Likewise, we will continue to build and mature the missile defense forces of tomorrow. The Defense Strategic Guidance highlights a strong commitment to security and stability in Europe and the Middle East, while rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific Region. In March 2013, the Secretary of Defense announced the deployment of 14 additional GBIs at Fort Greely, Alaska, and a second FBM Radar to Japan--we are working closely with Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on both of these actions.
To assure and protect our allies and partners, USASMDC/ARSTRAT will continue to build missile defense capability and capacity consistent with the objectives of the Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA), while building partner capability. Consistent with this goal, the FBM Radar in Turkey was transferred to NATO control during the summer of 2012. Additionally, the command will continue to support the congressionally-directed Continental United States Interceptor Site Study to assess the potential for an East Coast GMD interceptor site.
The USASMDC/ARSTRAT Technical Center researches, develops, tests, and integrates materiel solutions across the missile defense portfolio. The command conducted a successful test flight of a conventional global strike capability known as the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW), with the next flight test planned for later this year. USASMDC/ARSTRAT is also demonstrating the Extended-Range Non-Ballistic Air Defense (ENBAD) concept, an approach integrating proven subsystems into one cost-effective system. Attacking both the "archers" and the "arrows," AHW and ENBAD could provide the ability to conduct global attack operations, a key pillar of the counter-air framework.
USASMDC/ARSTRAT is committed to countering the growing threat from our adversaries' technological advances. In space, our geographically-dispersed space operations ensure access to critical capabilities and continued dominance of this exceedingly contested and congested domain. In ballistic missile defense, our Soldiers in Colorado, Alaska, and California remain on-point to defend the homeland against a limited intercontinental ballistic missile attack. In support of the PAA and regional missile defense, our FBM and JTAGS Soldiers in Japan, Korea, Israel, Turkey, Germany, and across the USCENTCOM area of responsibility, provide persistent early warning that is critical to deterrence objectives and protecting our deployed forces, partners and allies. Constantly confronting the challenges of an increasingly complex operational environment, USASMDC/ARSTRAT will continue to develop and field space and missile defense capabilities in the defense of the Nation, the Joint Force, and our Allies.
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