We must give them the highest priority. The best time to enunciate a global-utility protection plan is now. The long lead time needed to implement a comprehensive protection system necessitates immediate action in order to anticipate the increasing threat level. Our increasing reliance on satellites adds to their vulnerability as potential targets, so we have no excuse for leaving them unprotected. We know what global utilities are, why we should protect them, who should protect them, where we should locate the protection, and when we should start protecting them.
Global utilities are indispensable.
Any loss of a utility and the ability to use space freely would have an enormous impact on society, the economy, and national security. The Air Force must step up now to meet this critical national security issue. The Galaxy 4 satellite, owned by PanAmSat, lost attitude control on 19 May 1998. A satellite system is defined as the terrestrial and space components necessary for a satellite to operate and perform its functions. As secretary, he coordinates Joint Staff actions in support of the vice chairman of the JCS and represents the interests of the commanders of the combatant commands in requirements generation, acquisition and planning, and programming and budgeting.