US Space Force to conduct military exercise in 2025
Former US President Donald Trump signed the creation of the US Space Force in 2019. As the name suggests, its objective is to combat space-based threats, specifically from other countries.
Back then, many did not take it seriously due to several sources smearing the project. It didn’t help that the concept was out-of-this-world.
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After all, the name spurred associations with sci-fi movies like Star Wars as many did not know what a “space military” would look like in real life.
Nevertheless, the US military acknowledges the importance of preparing for potential space threats. That is why the Space Force will launch a military exercise in 2025.
How will the US Space Force exercise work?
Space Systems Command, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and SpaceWERX, is awarding contracts. The vendors will exercise a realistic threat response scenario in an on-orbit space domain awareness demonstration called VICTUS HAZE. More: https://t.co/dLFgGcD1NS pic.twitter.com/6GAzqHhsEK
— Space Systems Command (@USSF_SSC) April 12, 2024
The US Space Force announced on April 11, 2024, that it partnered with Rocket Lab and True Anomaly to demonstrate how the military might counter “on-orbit aggression.”
Ars Technica reported Rocket Lab will build and launch a spacecraft. Then, it will chase a True Anomaly satellite.
The US Space Systems Command X page posted:
“The vendors will exercise a realistic threat response scenario in an on-orbit space domain awareness demonstration called Victus Haze.”
It may also involve a satellite performing maneuvers that approach a US spacecraft or a satellite exhibiting unusual activity.
Regardless of the anomaly, the Space Force wants to ensure it can respond immediately to space-based threats.
John F. Plumb, Assistant Secretary of Defense for space policy, emphasized the need to prepare against space threats in his testimony at the House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee hearing.
“For the Department of Defense space is essential to how we compete and fight in every domain.”
“And it provides communication in austere environments to support global command and control. To put it simply, space-based missions are essential to the U.S. way of war,” he said.
The official US Department of Defense website reported that it said the quantity and quality of space threats have increased significantly.
For example, China is building space architecture that enables its military to execute long-range precision strikes.
“China ultimately seeks to challenge our ability to conduct joint operations in the Indo-Pacific,” Plumb warned.
Hence, it is important that countries affected by the geopolitical conflict in the region, like the Philippines, learn about such threats.
