April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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US National Security and Space Weapons

byRichard L. Garwin

Council on Foreign Relationsrgarwin@cfr.org www.cfr.org www.fas.org/rlg

in theNational Security and Military Space

Workshop No. 1Naval War College, Newport RI

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Council on Foreign Relations Team

• Bruce M. Deblois, Adjunct Senior Fellow at CFR. (BAE Systems; formerly National Reconnaissance Office—NRO)

• Richard L. Garwin• Jeremy C. Marwell, Research Associate• Scott Kemp, Research Associate

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Why Space Weapons?

• Defensive counter-space(active protection of space assets)

• Offensive counter-space(deny adversaries’ use of space)

• Global and rapid power projectionLess than 90-minutes (QDR)

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Space vs. Conventional Weapons

Directed EnergyKE STEWKE ASAT

CAVs

VS.

ABLICBMs

Direct ascentCruise Missiles

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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SpaceWeapons

Addressable

Threats to Space Assets

1) denial & deception2) electronic warfare3) ground station attack4) sensor blinding5) microsatellites6) direct-ascent interceptors7) nuclear detonation in space

MoreLikely

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Microsatellite Proliferation

A Non-military cooperative development effort of Surrey Satellite Technologies and Thailand

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Microsatellites

A space mine trailing behind a satellite Four “body guard” microsatellitesprotecting a satellite

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Force Projection

• Long RodsHard and deeply buried targets

• Common Aero VehicleConventional munitions

• Space-Based LaserVery rapid force projection

The three most promising weapons?

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Finite Strength of Penetrator

.30 cal. bullet impacting hard steel at 2750 ft/sec

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Long Rod Penetration vs. Velocity

Typically ~900 m/sec = 2700 ft/sec

DepthLength

Impact Velocity

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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Common Aero Vehicle

Minot to Holloman

Holloman to EglinMinot to Eglin

Deployment Configuration

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Space Based Laser

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SDI-era approach to laser weapons using ground-based lasers and “fighting mirrors”.

Atmospheric compensation is essential (and now routine).

April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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SBL Constellation

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Cruise Missiles from Int’l Waters

Source: GAO/NSIAD-95-116

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April 30, 2003 R.L.Garwin "US National Security and Space Weapons"

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1. See Michael Krepon with Christopher Clary, “Space Assurance or Space Dominance? The Case Against Weaponizing Space,” www.stimson.org (2003).