The need to see over enemy lines has been a dilemma for every military commander as far back as Alexander the Great. Having a vantage point to see the battlefield from the highest hill certainly worked when military forces were relatively small and weapons technology was limited. However, as the size of military forces and weapons performance capabilities increased, the necessity for improved battlefield awareness on the part of the commander also increased. In future wars, we cannot think of a three dimensional battlespace unless we have the vantage point of space. The space environment provides the ideal medium for supporting military operations with data derived from navigation, communications, weather, missile warning, and surveillance satellites.
Space provides the vantage point needed within the modern battlespace.
For example, during Operation Desert Fox, the primary technical means to assess the battle damage from our strikes deep into Iraqi territory came from space assets. In statements to the press supporting the success of our operations, our senior foreign policy teams provided pictures taken from space that confirmed our ability to strike targets deep within Iraq with minimal collateral damage. This vantage point, coupled with systems equipped with high-resolution sensors and the ability to provide high revisit rates, gives us and our allies unmatched capabilities. I would, however, be the last to argue that we can do everything from space. Air, land, and sea surveillance provides critical contributions to battlespace awareness.