The U.S. Space Force is currently carrying out its largest exercise since being established, with a service-specific operation meant to see how it can handle complex conflicts in space.
The ongoing Resolute Space 2025 involves 700 Guardians, utilizing an array of space and ground-based tools and communications systems. The Guardians are primarily operating out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Schriever, Peterson and Buckley space bases. The Guardians are testing out their readiness in the fields “space electromagnetic warfare, space domain awareness, orbital warfare, and navigational warfare,” according to Space Force.
“Resolute Space sends a clear message: Guardians are prepared to fight and win in space shoulder to shoulder with our joint and allied partners,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said in a statement. “By training at this unprecedented scale, we’re sharpening warfighter instincts, strengthening combat credibility, and proving our commitment to deliver peace through strength in the face of any challenge.”
Over the last few years, Space Force has built up its array of satellites in orbit as well as ground–based relay and tracking systems. The main stated goals have been to expand U.S. military communications and early warning capabilities, as well as expand space domain awareness, or the ability to keep tabs on where adversary objects are in orbit. This exercise draws on that and a stated Space Force goal to deploy jamming tools to disrupt enemy transmissions.
According to Space Force Col. Jay Steingold, the exercise’s director, Resolute Space 2025 involves “live, synthetic, and virtual space warfighting.” In practice, several of the military’s space-based satellites will be involved, both for real-time operations and in simulated conditions.
However “orbital warfare” remains less defined by the service. This does not appear to involve deploying laser-armed troops like in ‘Moonraker’ or staging orbital kinetic drops. Space Force operates an array of satellites and a space plane famous for its long missions in orbit, but the service has not disclosed any kind of space-based battleship or fighter. Space Force did not give details to its specific space-based or space-capable weapons. However in recent months Saltzman and other leaders have talked about boosting Space Force’s offensive capabilities, both in electromagnetic warfare and in more direct warfare, specifying the need to get kinetic and non-kinetic weapons for the latter category.
The Resolute Space exercise is happening concurrently with several other exercises by the Department of the Air Force. The combined department-level exercise started on July 8. In total, 12,000 airmen and Guardians are taking part, as well as more than 350 aircraft.
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