Over-Classification, Lack of Standards Stymies Allied Space Forces.

• Author: Carberry, Sean

The United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom earlier this year released the "Combined Space Operations Vision 2031 " with a mission to ensure freedom and resilience in space and prevent conflict.

Since then, the allies have taken steps to deepen coordination, cooperation and interoperability, but more is needed, and there are a host of obstacles to navigate, according to officials.

"The People's Republic of China and Russia present the most immediate and serious threats to U.S. and allied space operations," Gen. James Dickinson, commander of U.S. Space Command, said at the recent Defence Space 2022 conference in London, which brought together leaders in space forces and commands from allied nations.

The threats come from "their active development, testing and deployment of counterspace capabilities and associated military doctrine for use," Dickinson added.

Examples include hypersonics, dual-use satellites "that can grapple other satellites," and "destructive direct ascent anti-satellite missile tests that create hazardous debris and undermine every space operator's interests in space sustainability," said Dickinson.

"Our collective ability to deter a conflict from beginning or extending into space relies on our cooperation with allies and partners to develop best practices, standards and norms of behavior for responsible space operations," he added. "That's why we... work so hard to implement our joint, combined and partnered approach to our mission operations in space. That is why we must be 'allied by design."'

And U.S. partners--including Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom --acknowledged that it is essential to collaborate with and complement the United States in space.

"The U.S. is definitely the lead in the allied collective, global coalition for space," said Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, commander of U.K. Space Command, which stood up April 2021 and reached initial operating capability this spring.

Godfrey said there is an onus on allies to ensure that the space capabilities or technologies they develop integrate into the "big U.S. machine" and make the U.S. space enterprise more efficient.

"[The] United States, in very many ways, sets the rules and we have a very strong binational relationship in the [North American Aerospace Defense Command] agreement with them," said Brig. Gen. Chris McKenna, director general of Air and Space Force development in Canada's Department of National...