Photo By Emily Peacock | U.S. Space Force Col. Raj Agrawal, commander of Space Delta 2 – Space Domain...... read more read more
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Wailea, Maui – Speaking at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Conference, U.S. Space Force Col. Raj Agrawal, commander of Space Delta 2 – Space Domain Awareness and Space Battle Management, delivered an address urging the global space community to collaborate and share information to deter unprofessional behavior in the space domain, Sept. 21.
Agrawal began by highlighting the evolving nature of conflict in space, drawing attention to a pivotal moment in 2007 when China launched an anti-satellite weapon that generated a staggering 2,700 pieces of debris. He underscored how this event signaled a shift from traditional space situational awareness to a more robust approach known as Space Domain Awareness.
Agrawal addressed the aggressive behavior exhibited by Russia and China in space, stating, "Russia and China understood, perhaps before the United States did, the central role that space-enabled capabilities allow for in modern warfare and our way of life." He noted that these nations had developed and tested counterspace weapons aimed at disrupting the free and democratic use of space.
The Space Force commander stressed that SDA alone was insufficient to counter these emerging threats. Instead, he advocated for the transformation of understanding into opportunity through a comprehensive Space Battle Management approach.
"Battle Management is the joint framework that allows for translating understanding into opportunity," Agrawal said, emphasizing that it provided military options to outpace adversary actions. He described SBM as the foundation upon which Space Delta 2 operates, ensuring that space remains safe and accessible while deterring hostile actors.
Agrawal explained the structure of DEL 2, highlighting its geographically and functionally separated units, including the 18th Space Defense Squadron at Vandenberg Space Force Base, 18 SDS Detachment 1 at Schriever Space Force Base, and the 19th Space Defense Squadron at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren. He commended their unique roles, as well as the roles of other integral space surveillance squadrons, in comprehensively mapping orbital space terrain, monitoring the cislunar regime and initiating kill chains on identified threats.
Recognizing the limitations of domain awareness due to factors such as sensor placement and technology, Agrawal revealed that DEL 2 was actively optimizing SDA through SBM, mitigating gaps, and enhancing geosynchronous SDA investments.
The commander expressed gratitude for partnerships with organizations, such as Space Systems Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory, which play pivotal roles in enhancing space capabilities and research.
Agrawal stressed the importance of international collaboration, stating, "Space has no borders, and dangers present for any of us exist for all of us." He invited the global space community, including international military partners and commercial entities, to collaborate and share information. He closed his speech by stating that in the face of deterrence failures, DEL 2 stands ready to identify threats, provide combat solutions, and maintain space superiority.
Agrawal's speech emphasized the critical need for unity and cooperation in safeguarding the space domain against emerging threats.
DEL 2, one of 10 mission-oriented deltas within the Space Force and headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, builds combat-ready forces who operationalize Space Domain Awareness to identify, characterize, and exploit opportunities and mitigate vulnerabilities in the national security space terrain. DEL 2 has mission personnel and functions distributed across Vandenberg Space Force Base, California; Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; and Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Virginia, in addition to multiple supporting locations around the world including Australia, Diego Garcia, and the Marshall Islands.
| Date Taken: | 09.29.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2023 17:44 |
| Story ID: | 454736 |
| Location: | HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 264 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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