US military practices orbital dogfighting in 1st-ever 'live fly' exercise in space
United States Space Command just held its first-ever "Apollo Maneuvers" exercise, which saw spacecraft maneuvering in orbit through simulated contested environments.
In a historic first, the United States Space Command successfully conducted its inaugural "Apollo Maneuvers" exercise in space, simulating a contested environment for spacecraft maneuvering. The exercise, involving various U.S. military assets and international partners, aimed to showcase dynamic on-orbit operations and validate contested logistics.
Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael A. Guetlein explained that the maneuvering of satellites and other spacecraft in close proximity to one another in a simulated conflict environment is what he refers to as "dogfighting in space."
U.S. Space Command Commander Gen. Stephen N. Whiting emphasized the importance of this exercise, stating that the side capable of persistently and at scale maneuvering in space will set the operational rhythm in orbit. As nations continue to develop capabilities for maneuvering satellites in close proximity to others with the intention of destroying, disabling, denying, or degrading them, the U.S. Space Force remains focused on advancing its orbital warfare doctrine.
However, Whiting acknowledges that the U.S. still lacks many of the necessary technologies for space warfare, including orbital interceptors, which could be crucial for deterring and winning space conflicts.
Written by urgent.news from Space.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
