At the Space and Missile Defense Symposium on August 5, Brig. Gen. Don Brooks, deputy commanding general of operations at the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, emphasized the critical role of interoperability, partnerships, and next-generation technology in achieving space superiority. His remarks underscored the Army’s evolving strategy to counter long-term orbital and terrestrial threats, a shift driven by the National Defense Strategy.
Brooks highlighted the Army’s efforts to “iterate faster” and “evolve our culture to shape innovation from our overarching strategy.” By incorporating feedback from warfighters, training programs, and soldiers, the Army is refining its space strategy to guide manning, training, and education. This iterative approach ensures that the military remains agile in the face of rapidly advancing threats.
The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command plays a pivotal role in providing terrestrial interdiction and integration space capabilities to U.S. Space Command. These capabilities are essential for ensuring the U.S.’s freedom of action and movement in space while delivering combat power to joint forces. Brooks stressed that integrating space capabilities offers ground forces critical advantages, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, precision targeting, long-haul communications, and the ability to disrupt an adversary’s use of space.
To enhance its operational effectiveness, the Army has introduced smaller, lighter, and more mobile capabilities for space interdiction. Additionally, it has updated its Space Training Strategy to embed space operations into multi-domain warfare. These advancements are crucial for denying, degrading, and disrupting enemy communications, influence, surveillance, and precision-guided munitions within the battlespace.
Brooks emphasized the importance of partnerships in achieving these goals. “In our future, innovation is key. We can’t do it alone,” he said, stressing the need for joint efforts to counter threats across terrestrial and extraterrestrial domains. He described partnerships with allied nations as “irreplaceable” and highlighted the role of commercial industries in providing technical advantages in space domain awareness.
The Army has already collaborated with the British Army on target development, weaponeering, and electronic warfare. Future partnerships with New Zealand, Australia, and Canada are also in the works, with plans to integrate these nations into the Space Missile Defense Command school. Brooks noted that the U.S. shares lessons, exercises, and experiments with troops from the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, and Germany, underscoring the global nature of space defense.
“Space is the connective tissue of all warfighting functions,” Brooks said. “It is that connective tissue that provides us lethality in our combat power.” He added that future capabilities will depend on partnerships with joint, intergovernmental, interagency, multinational, and commercial partners. These collaborations will enable the Army to “go faster, lighter, and leaner,” evolving its culture and delivering capabilities more rapidly.
The Army’s focus on space superiority is not just about technological advancement but also about fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. By leveraging partnerships and integrating space capabilities into multi-domain operations, the U.S. Army is positioning itself to maintain a decisive edge in an increasingly contested space domain.
