SECOND ANNUAL SPACE STRATEGY

and

ARCHITECTURE SYMPOSIUM

INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SPACE:

INCREASING COOPERATION WITH OUR ALLIES

Robert V. Davis

Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Space)

U.S. Department of Defense

Washington D.C.

February 11-12, 1997

Introduction

It is a pleasure to be with you here at the Second Annual Space Strategy and Architecture Symposium to share my views on the prospects for international defense space cooperation. I would first like to discuss the contributions of space systems to international security; then provide an overview of the policy guidance issued by President Clinton pertaining to international defense space cooperation; and conclude by addressing the importance of strengthening international cooperation in military space activities.

At the direction of both Secretary of Defense William Perry and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology Paul Kaminski, one of the priorities I established immediately upon assuming the position of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Space is to examine and pursue appropriate opportunities for international defense space cooperation with United States' allies and friends.

To that end, I have in the last year traveled to the UK, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Korea, and Thailand to discuss potential space cooperative activities. We have also met in Washington with representatives of both Italy and Canada.

Space Systems and International Security

Since the beginning of the space age, space systems have been an important element of international security. The military use of space has evolved from an initial focus on providing peacetime support for national decision-makers and strategic nuclear deterrence operations to a broader application in support of the entire range of military activities. Global coverage, readiness, presence, responsiveness, flexibility, and other attributes of space systems enable them to provide support for military operations in peace, crisis, and across the spectrum of conflict. This includes support for military operations other than war such as peacekeeping and peace enforcement, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and non-combatant evacuation. It also includes providing support to address dangers such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, and drug trafficking.

Space systems are an integral part of the overall deterrent posture of armed forces. Any nation or subnational group contemplating an action inimical to international security interests must be concerned about space capabilities. Space systems help to provide unprecedented situational awareness to identify and respond to threats anywhere in the world. They help to ensure that hostile actions will be discovered and may introduce an element of uncertainty into the minds of potential aggressors.

More specifically, space systems provide unique capabilities for collecting and disseminating information to determine other nations' and subnational groups' capabilities and intentions. This includes information for indications, warning, and responding to the threat or use of force. Space systems perform global monitoring. For example, they monitor compliance with international arms control, non-proliferation, and confidence building and security agreements. They are often the first to spot impending conflicts and thereby allow diplomatic actions to avert war.

Space systems can contribute unique capabilities for international security. Indeed, space systems are capable of performing missions which place a premium on interoperability and the capacity to operate with other nations' forces. Space systems enable military forces to operate jointly in a more efficient and effective manner. They will play an increasingly critical role even in the non-traditional activities that are becoming more important for all countries such as disaster response and peacekeeping. Remote sensing, communications, navigation, and weather satellites, for example, are on the scene as we speak, supporting peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia and the Middle East. Moreover, certain space systems provide dual-use capabilities employed by U.S. as well as international civil and commercial users.

U.S. National Policy and International Defense Space Cooperation

Last September, President Clinton issued a new U.S. National Space Policy. The President's policy is the result of the first post-Cold War assessment of America's space goals and activities. It states that the United States will continue to pursue greater levels of partnership and cooperation in national and international space activities and work with other nations to ensure the continued exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. One of the goals of the U.S. space program is to promote international cooperation to further our domestic, national security, and foreign policies.

In addition, last March the President approved a comprehensive national policy on the future management and use of the U.S. Global Positioning System and related U.S. Government augmentations. The policy presents a strategic vision for the future management and use of GPS and addresses a broad range of military, civil, commercial, and scientific interests, both national and international.

The goals of the policy include encouraging the worldwide acceptance and integration of the Global Positioning System as well as promoting international cooperation in using GPS for peaceful purposes. The policy directs that the United States will cooperate with other governments and international organizations to ensure an appropriate balance between the requirements of international civil, commercial, and scientific users, and international security interests. It also states that we will advocate the acceptance of GPS and U.S. Government augmentations as standards for international use.

In accordance with this policy, the Department of Defense will continue to acquire, operate, and maintain the basic Global Positioning System. It will maintain the Standard Positioning that will be available on a continuous, worldwide basis. The Department of Defense will also maintain a Precise Positioning Service for use by the U.S. military and other authorized users. In addition, we will develop measures to prevent the hostile use of GPS and its augmentations to ensure that the U.S. and its allies retain a military advantage without unduly disrupting or degrading civilian uses.

Guided by such national space policies, the Department of Defense will examine and pursue appropriate opportunities for international defense space cooperation with allies and friends based on the principles of reciprocity and tangible, mutual benefit.

International Defense Space Cooperation

In military operations, U.S. forces often work or fight along side the military forces of other nations. Indeed, coalition operations are increasingly becoming the norm. Deploying forces in cooperation with those of other countries places a high premium on interoperability -- that is, ensuring the compatibility of U.S. and allied systems. This new emphasis on interoperability, to include military missions other than war, is especially important because it comes during a period of declining defense budgets not only in the United States, but also in allied nations. The U.S. and our allies are being challenged to do more with fewer resources; interoperability provides needed leverage.

As we look at recent history as a prologue to how our military forces will be deployed in the future, we need only look at the Gulf War and at Bosnia. In both instances, our forces are a part of a large multi-nation coalition effort. Today, the forces of the US and our allies train together and have major exercises together. It is US military doctrine that our forces must train in the same way that they plan to fight. If it is clear that this is an era of coalition warfare, and I would argue that this whole century has been one of coalition warfare, then I believe that those of us responsible for developing and acquiring the hardware for our military forces take a page from their doctrine book and start developing and acquiring our systems in the same way that they intend to fight --- and that is through cooperative design, development and acquisition. That must be our new mantra.

Achieving our security objectives in the most effective and efficient way requires that space capabilities be fully utilized for national defense. As I mentioned previously, space systems are capable of performing missions which place a premium on interoperability and the capacity to operate with other nations' forces. They also provide high technology force multipliers that enhance the operational effectiveness of those forces.

International cooperative efforts offer a real chance to enhance interoperability, stretch declining defense budgets, and preserve industrial capabilities. The U.S. Department of Defense thus is renewing its efforts at international cooperation. Cooperation can range from simple industrial subcontracting relationships to licensing and royalty arrangements, joint ventures, and bilateral and multilateral programs. It may also include: system development; systems testing and deployment; subsystem and component projects; operational standards and protocol agreements; basic science and technology research and development projects; product and data sharing; joint system operations; and personnel exchanges.

As the Defense Department takes advantage of the opportunities in international defense cooperation and commerce, we will continue to address the risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and advanced tactical systems. Numerous countries around the world are acquiring or accessing space systems, technology, and products. Nations and subnational groups are obtaining space capabilities through indigenous efforts, purchases of goods and services, and cooperative activities.

While the spread of space capabilities provides increasing opportunities for international cooperation with other spacefaring nations, it also poses security challenges. Indeed, the spread of space capabilities compounds the dangers posed by the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, missile systems for their delivery, and advanced conventional weapon systems. Consequently, international defense space cooperation will only be pursued when both U.S. national security and economic security are protected and such cooperation helps constraint the proliferation of missile and military space capabilities to potentially hostile parties.

Military technological advantage is a critical force multiplier that serves to deter aggression and, where deterrence fails, enables U.S. and coalition forces to fight and win. It is important to preserve this critical advantage by preventing the transfer of dangerous arms and dual-use technologies to countries that pose a threat to international security. Likewise when such goods are transferred, it must be done in a prudent and responsible manner, consistent with arms control obligations and multilateral export controls such as the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies, that does not endanger our security interests.

The United States recognizes that the sale or transfer of conventional arms and dual-use goods and services need not be inherently threatening. In fact, many such transfers support the legitimate defense requirements of allies and friends, promote burdensharing, and increase interoperability with U.S. forces. Such exports also serve to maintain a strong and responsive defense industrial base.

The Department of Defense is committed to being a leader in this new era of international space cooperation. We have a series of mutually reinforcing goals for such cooperation. First, we seek to forge closer security ties by: deepening mutual understanding; strengthening existing bilateral and multilateral defense relationships; developing new security partnerships; and countering proliferation.

Second, we seek to strengthen our economic security by: sharing or reducing costs; fostering new trade and investment opportunities; protecting against unwanted technology transfer; gaining access to foreign capabilities and expertise; and strengthening our industrial and technology bases. This includes protecting the value of intellectual property developed with U.S. Government support and ensuring that technology transfer resulting from cooperation does not undermine U.S. international competitiveness and national security.

Finally, we seek to enhance mutual defense capabilities by: improving the robustness, coverage, and timeliness of space capabilities; by increasing interoperability; by fostering improved coordination and integration of alliance command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence architectures; and -- the bottom line - by improving support to operating forces.

Conclusion

Space systems can provide enormous contributions to international security. Consequently, President Clinton and the senior leadership of the Department of Defense have directed that the United States will pursue greater levels of international partnership and cooperation in defense space activities. As I mentioned at the outset, my office is responsible for representing DOD in international negotiations with foreign governments regarding space matters. Examining and pursuing appropriate opportunities for international defense space cooperation with allies and friends is one of our top priorities.

I am not naïve enough to believe that the US or any of its allies are about to enter into agreements that do not adequately protect technological and economic concerns. Nevertheless, I believe that with a considered and steady effort by the US and our allies that we can make considerable progress in providing common and compatible hardware for our military forces.

In closing, the message I want to leave with you is that the prospects for international defense space cooperation are excellent. The United States is committed to pursuing and conducting international space cooperative activities that achieve security benefits for our nation. Thank you for permitting me to share my thoughts with you on this important subject.