[Weapons of the World] What Weapons Does the US Space Force Use to Fight Wars in Front of Monitors?

On the 26th (local time), the first national security satellite of the U.S. Space Force was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, USA. [Image source=U.S. Space Force official website/https://www.spaceforce.mil]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] The United States Space Force has become an international sensation after successfully launching its first military satellite emblazoned with the Space Force emblem, despite the severe spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The perception within and outside the U.S. that questioned the need for a Space Force when there is no alien fighting has changed significantly.

On the 26th (local time), the U.S. Space Force successfully launched its first national security satellite bearing its emblem from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This satellite completes the U.S. military's Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite network and is reported to have been developed with an investment of over one billion dollars. The launch succeeded despite the difficult situation where, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, access to the launch control room was restricted to essential personnel only.

This military satellite can be considered the Space Force's most significant weapon at present. While science fiction movies often depict the Space Force as operating massive space battleships fighting aliens, the actual main battlefield for the Space Force is right in front of a monitor, and remotely controlled satellites serve as their primary weapons.

Last month, a tense standoff occurred between the U.S. Space Force and the Russian Aerospace Forces over interference with satellites outside the atmosphere. Currently, only the U.S. and Russia have independent Space Forces separate from their air forces worldwide. On the 13th of last month, John Raymond, commander of the U.S. Space Force, revealed in an interview with Time magazine that two Russian satellites closely followed U.S. satellites and "engaged in interference." In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed this, stating, "Such actions are universal operational behaviors that other countries also conduct in space."

On the 26th (local time), a rocket carrying the United States Space Force's first national security satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, USA. The Space Force emblem was attached below the American flag on the rocket's exterior. [Image source=U.S. Space Force official website/https://www.spaceforce.mil]

Currently, there are no satellites equipped with weapons due to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, led by the U.S., the U.K., and the former Soviet Union, which prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction outside the atmosphere. However, during the late Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union competitively launched armed satellites.

At that time, the U.S. planned the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) system from 1983, which involved detecting missile launches with reconnaissance satellites and destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) before launch using attack satellites equipped with laser weapons to defend against Soviet ICBMs. The Soviet Union countered this by launching satellites equipped with large laser weapons and nuclear mines called "Polyus." Fortunately, this competition paused for a while with the end of the Cold War.

However, as the arms race between the U.S. and Russia intensified, the competition for military superiority outside the atmosphere has resumed as a Space Force rivalry. Currently, not only the U.S. and Russia but also major powers such as China, France, and Japan are rushing to establish their own Space Forces. The establishment of Space Forces, which operate alongside missile defense systems to enable preemptive interception of ICBMs, has also driven the development of hypersonic ballistic missiles designed to penetrate these defense systems.

A Space Force soldier on duty
[Image source=U.S. Space Force official website/https://www.spaceforce.mil]

Although the Space Force is expected to play the most critical role in future warfare, it is anticipated that Space Force personnel will not directly engage in combat outside the atmosphere anytime soon. The main battlefield for countries with independent Space Forces or Space Commands under their Air Forces is in front of computer monitors.

This reality of the Space Force seems somewhat disappointing to the public accustomed to the Space Force image portrayed in the media. Earlier this year, when news broke that the U.S. Space Force adopted camouflage uniforms similar to the Army's, a flood of disappointed comments appeared from netizens worldwide. Many questioned why a military that only sits in front of monitors would adopt camouflage as their working uniform. Most comments suggested that at least the space suits seen in Star Wars should be worn to match the image of a future military.

However, the position of the Space Force, which was just born as the sixth branch of the military following the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, is by no means easy. Enormous costs are still required for reconnaissance satellites, establishing defense systems inside and outside the atmosphere, and close coordination with other military branches. The U.S. Space Force defended its choice of adopting the already produced Army camouflage uniforms as part of the ongoing budget battles ahead. It seems that much time must still pass before the Space Force image in the public's mind can truly be realized.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.