Military Strives for Advanced Space Abilities to Gain Competitive Advantage

Military Strives for Advanced Space Abilities to Gain Competitive Advantage

Unleashing Soldiers with Space Power: The US Army is intensifying its efforts to provide troops with superior access to space-based capabilities, assuring no duplication of work by the Space Force.

Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, head of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, emphasized the Army's primary goal: "How do we deliver that capability responsive to the warfighter?" The focus is on creating more tactical solutions that enable soldiers to swiftly adapt and navigate the battlefield with lightweight platforms.

On the communication front, the Army is investing in advanced, space-based equipment for better communications, intelligence, and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT). For instance, this year saw the beginning of the fielding for assured PNT receivers for both mounted and dismounted soldiers. In FY25, the Army plans to scale these reliable PNT receivers across the service.

Moreover, the Army is actively providing Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Nodes (TITAN) ground stations to boost situational awareness and offer soldiers targeting data from satellites and high-altitude assets. Additionally, they are testing satellite communication terminals that can link to various satellite constellations, offering soldiers greater connectivity options and enhanced reliability.

The Army's initiatives harmonize with similar programs in other military branches - the Space Force is developing its own hybrid SATCOM terminal, the Navy has Satellite Terminal (transportable) Non-Geostationary (STtNG), and the Air Force Research Laboratory pursues Global Lightning.

However, earlier this year, lawmakers raised concerns about the services needing to coordinate these endeavors better. Atkinson ascertained that the Army works hand in hand with the Space Force in planning for new equipment to ensure all Army Space efforts are complementary, eliminating any repetition and redundancy.

In response to critics who claimed the Army might be duplicating the Space Force's effort, Atkinson underscored the Army's imperative to retain its own native space capabilities to dominate on the land domain and support joint capabilities. Col. Donald K. Brooks, commandant of the Army's Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence, reiterated the necessity of space-focused soldiers to integrate space capabilities into land forces and guarantee soldiers access to space technologies on the battlefield. Army Space, being land-centric, provides expeditious, mobile, and forward-deployed forces geared for large-scale combat operations in the multi-domain setting.

Space Update: The current status and future plans of Army's efforts in Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Nodes (TITAN), assured PNT receivers, and advanced satellite communications are as follows:

• TITAN: Aimed at fusing intelligence from space, aerial, and terrestrial sensors, TITAN is currently in the rapid prototyping phase, with industry input solicited to accelerate its fielding. Ongoing testing is focused on integrating multi-domain intelligence feeds. Future plans include enhancing the system's ability to connect with satellite and terrestrial data sources.
• Assured PNT Receivers: Developed to provide resilient PNT in contested environments, the Army is fielding and upgrading receivers that can utilize signals from multiple sources, such as military GPS, satellites, inertial navigation, and terrestrial beacons. Future plans involve continued development of anti-jam, anti-spoof, and multi-source PNT solutions, with increasing integration of space-based alternatives.
• Satellite Communications: The Army is leveraging both military and commercial satellite networks to ensure robust, secure, and resilient communications for formations. Plans include expanding satellite communications capacity, integrating new waveforms, and boosting the use of commercial satellite connectivity for tactical edge connectivity.

Space Force Collaboration: The Army is working closely with the Space Force to avoid duplication and promote joint capabilities:

• Joint Operations: Both the Army and the Space Force are committed to alignment of their space-related capabilities and avoiding redundant investments, ensuring optimal joint force capabilities.
• Shared Infrastructure and Testing: Both services coordinate on infrastructure and testing for joint interoperability. The Space Force's modernization initiatives, such as updated electromagnetic warfare systems and missile warning ground systems, are being tested collaboratively.
• Funding and Prioritization: Both services prioritize capabilities that address the entire joint force rather than individual branches, with approximately 78% of the Space Force's budget dedicated to joint force capabilities.
• Operational Integration: Army space integration programs like TITAN and assured PNT are engineered to seamlessly integrate with broader joint architectures, maximizing efficiency and compatibility with national and theater space systems.

1. The Army Space and Missile Defense Command aims to deliver space-based capabilities to warfighters quickly, focusing on tactical solutions with lightweight platforms, and enhancing communication, intelligence, and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) using advanced, space-based equipment.
2. In FY25, the Army plans to scale up the use of reliable PNT receivers across the service, and is also testing satellite communication terminals that can link to various satellite constellations, offering soldiers greater connectivity options and enhanced reliability.
3. The Space Force is working in parallel with the Army to ensure coordination, eliminating repetition and redundancy, and developing hybrid SATCOM terminals that can complement the Army's satellite communication efforts.
4. The Army's Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Nodes (TITAN) and assured PNT receivers are being engineered to seamlessly integrate with broader joint architectures, maximizing efficiency and compatibility with national and theater space systems, and both services are committed to alignment of their space-related capabilities to ensure joint force capabilities.
5. Army Space, being land-centric, provides expeditious, mobile, and forward-deployed forces ready for large-scale combat operations in the multi-domain setting, while the Space Force's modernization initiatives, such as updated electromagnetic warfare systems and missile warning ground systems, are being tested collaboratively to support aerial, space, and terrestrial warfare.

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