NDAA directs space security program to plan offensive/defensive operations

The End of Sanctuary in Space — War Is Boring — Medium

Congress has included language in the National Defense Authorization Act for the 2015 fiscal year, the primary piece of legislation that authorizes and directs the activities of the U.S. military, calling on the U.S. national security space community to report to Congress how it plans to deter and defeat adversary attacks on U.S. space systems.

The NDAA language requires the Secretary of Defense and the Director of  National Intelligence to produce a study on the role of offensive space operations, and specifies that the majority of the $32.3 million that Congress gave to the Space Security and Defense Program in 2015 must be used for “the development of offensive space control and active defensive strategies and capabilities.”

The NDAA language does not stipulate what is meant by offensive or active defensive capabilities, but when combined with recent academic writings  from within the U.S. military, it suggests that America’s strategy for protecting its satellites is taking a more aggressive turn.

Update 6 FY 2015 DoD Space Budget Comparison.pdf 

Space Security and Defense Program - 0603830f_4_pb_2015.pdf

Defense.gov Special Report: National Security Space Strategy

The National Security Space Strategy is a pragmatic approach to maintain  he advantages derived from space while confronting the challenges of an evolving space strategic environment. It is the first such strategy jointly signed by the Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence. The themes of the NSSS are reflected in the DOD Strategic Guidance and are being implemented by the DOD Space Policy and other efforts.