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War game tests space assets

Story ID 03-37
February 21, 2003

Air Force Space Command News Service

By Jenna McMullin
Air Force Space Command Public Affairs

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Although the calendar on the wall reads 2003, the playing field in this room operates against a backdrop of the year 2017.

Schriever flipped the calendar pages ahead 14 years Feb. 20 for an eight-day space war game that involves military use of new space systems, which may include Space-Based Radar and updated Satellite Communications Systems. The only thing at stake is determining how the United States military conducts space operations for years to come.

According to the war game director, space has become so critical for the warfighter, testing space assets' abilities and vulnerabilities is as essential as war games involving ships, troops and aircraft on Earth.

"Space is the critical enabler, and we're looking at how space transitions to the warfighter," said Maj. John Wagner, Schriever II war game director and deputy chief, Wargaming and Simulation Branch of the Space Warfare Center, which is conducting the war game on behalf of the Air Force.

Schriever II's scenario is a virtual worldwide conflict between friendly "blue" forces and enemy "red" forces, emphasizing space systems, such as satellites. Building on the findings of the first space war game, Schriever 2001, Schriever II's red forces will exploit vulnerabilities of blue space systems.

The play in Schriever II will be at a strategic or operational level, primarily in the format of roundtable discussions.

"We have a lot of decisions to fundamentally make about space and its use in the future," Wagner said. "Schriever II will allow us to see through a warfighter's lens at what space brings to the fight and to provide a crystal ball to the Air Force.and space mission partner leadership, examining the planned force of the future, and how it could support national security requirements."

Initial planning began in August 2001, shortly after Schriever 2001, and has continued steadily with a budget of just under $2 million. The space war game extends across all branches of the U.S. military and incorporates dozens of federal agencies, commercial space companies and U.S. allies. Approximately 250 military and civilian experts are participating.

Whereas Schriever 2001 was the first war game to involve commercial space representatives, Schriever II broadens the membership.

"This forum is not only for the Air Force but for all our space mission partners," Wagner said. "We want to fully leverage space and understand the contributions of all organizations in a future fight."

Players are drawn from the pool of experience as well. The exercise pairs active-duty senior officers playing military leadership with retired senior leaders as higher-authority players and mentors. The mixture opened up new areas of study following Schriever 2001.

Wagner said space was found to provide a range of conventional deterrent options, which demonstrated its capability to apply pressure to potential adversaries.

"We found that space could be a great deterrent in the pre-hostility and hostility phases of a conflict," said retired Gen. Thomas S. Moorman, former Air Force vice chief of staff, former commander of AFSPC and a player in Schriever 2001 as one of the National Command Authority members.

Planners are working to ensure game components would be relevant to the 2017 timeframe. In other words, Buck Rogers isn't going to swoop out of the skies to lend a helping hand if the satellite is jammed. Building on conservative estimates was needed, Wagner said, using existing guidance such as the National Intelligence Estimate and the AFSPC Strategic Master Plan.

"The key word is constraint," he said. "We developed Schriever II using realistic and credible assumptions."

According to Wagner, the objectives of the space war game are designed to elicit "lessons learned" for future operations. What occurs during Schriever II could potentially shape policies, strategies and laws by using systems to their best advantage and promoting better technology.