U.S. generals planning for a space war they see as all but inevitable – SpaceNews



September 20, 2021



Blog

Written by Editor

Space,Military,Satellite,,A,Weapon,In,Space,Shoots,A,Laser

Image: Shutterstock

Blog Editor’s Note: If you really need electricity and there is a chance the grid might go down, you get a generator… If there is a chance your ship will be torpedoed, you make sure you have a lifeboat… If you might not have PNT from space…

There is no space system that is as important to the well being of the United States as the Global Positioning System (GPS).

If military commanders and politicians are looking at GPS as just another weapons system, we are in deep trouble.

U.S. generals planning for a space war they see as all but inevitable

by Sandra Erwin — September 17, 2021

A ship in the Pacific Ocean carrying a high-power laser takes aim at a U.S. spy satellite, blinding its sensors and denying the United States critical eyes in the sky.

This is one scenario that military officials and civilian leaders fear could lead to escalation and wider conflict as rival nations like China and Russia step up development and deployments of anti-satellite weapons.

If a satellite came under attack, depending on the circumstances, “the appropriate measures can be taken,” said Lt. Gen. John Shaw, deputy commander of U.S. Space Command.

PNT is the quiet backbone of everything but too many leaders still don't see the risk.

But you do. You understand the systems, the dependencies, the failure chains. That insight is rare — and it's exactly what your country needs right now. Contact your government leaders and industry decision-makers and tell them resilient PNT isn't a feature — it's the foundation everything else depends on.

