The U.S. is planning to develop and deploy force projection space weapons.
Keywords: Long Range Strike Weapons.
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Following Congressional testimony by the then Commander of USSTRATCOM, General Cartwright, the US Congress has refocused development efforts for a US prompt global strike capability. The FY2008 Defense Authorization bill provided $100-million for a new Prompt Global Strike program, combining funds from the US Navy Conventional Trident Modification Program and US Air Force Common Aero Vehicle (CAV – part of the Falcon program). It is unlikely that this program will result in the development of a space-based weapon system. The US Congress has issued explicit instructions to the Department of Defense about the areas to which funding can be applied and asked for a report on the future roadmap within 90 days of the bill's implementation. Still, several advanced enabling technologies will be developed, including "advanced propulsion, payload delivery and dispensing mechanisms, weapon system command and control, and advanced non-nuclear, kinetic, and other enabling capabilities," which would be required to support a space-based strike system. Space Security Index. Space Security 2008. Waterloo, Ontario: Space Security Index, September 2008. [ 13 quotes ] [ page 182 ]