The US Space Force is currently conducting its largest exercise to date, „Resolute Space 2025,” which focuses on simulating „orbital warfare.” According to service officials, the exercise involves live jamming of satellite systems to provide Guardians with realistic training in defending against enemy attacks.
Preparing for Contested Environments:
Lt. Col. Shawn Green, commander of the Space Force’s 527 Space Aggressor Squadron, explained that the exercise incorporates space electromagnetic warfare, cyber warfare, and orbital warfare, with aggressors creating challenging scenarios for the „Blue Forces” to navigate.
„Our goal is to create a relevant, realistic, informed threat replication for Blue to fight through so that we can increase the probability of success in war,” Green stated. He further detailed that mission planning involves synchronizing attacks across the various warfare domains, creating a series of moves and countermoves for the Blue Forces to respond to.
Integration with Air Force Exercise:
„Resolute Space 2025”, which commenced on July 8, is integrated with a larger Air Force „Department Level Exercise (DLE)” focused on conflict scenarios in the Pacific region. Approximately 700 Guardians are participating, operating from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, Peterson, Schriever, and Buckley Space Force Bases, and other locations within the Indo-Pacific theater, according to a Space Force press release.
Utilizing Operational Satellites and Commercial Assets:
Col. Jay Steingold, deputy commander of US Space Forces Indo-Pacific and director of the exercise, noted that Guardians are using operational satellites and commercial space assets during the exercise.
„We have satellites that we are able to utilize to provide training for our US Space Force Guardians, whether that be an understanding how they how they actually, quote, unquote, fly, or in terms of payload capacities and capabilities and just general training on orbit,” Steingold said. He emphasized that while military secrets are protected, the exercise provides valuable on-orbit training opportunities.
Educating Partners on Space Capabilities:
Steingold highlighted that a key objective of „Resolute Space” is to educate partners in the Air Force, the Joint Force, and allied nations about the significance of space capabilities, encompassing communications, navigation, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting.
Green emphasized the potential impact of losing these space-based capabilities on the Joint Force’s ability to succeed in combat. „If the space domain feels pain, the rest of the Joint Force will likely feel that pain as well,” he warned.
