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Military's success comes from above Omaha plays a growing role in the new way to win wars: space-based systems.

Posted on: Thursday, 4 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

When America goes to war, it always controls the high ground - space.

Space and satellite technology today are fully integrated in almost everything the U.S. military does.

All communication, nearly all reconnaissance, the navigation in the air and on the sea, the tracking and positioning of ground forces and the aim of precision-guided weapons all depend on space- based systems.

"A day without space in the life of the U.S. Army is a day we're not going to be very happy about the outcome," said Gen. Lance Lord, commander of the Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs, said Wednesday in Omaha.

Omaha this week is the host of a three-day conference that underscores the city's role as an increasingly important center for military space programs.

As part of a reorganization of U.S. military forces a year ago, the U.S. Space Command was merged with the Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base.

Much of the implementation and day-to-day work in the military space programs remain centered in Colorado Springs. But the command and control and the integration of space throughout the armed services now falls under the purview of Stratcom.

"Stratcom has become a very important central player in military space," said Elliot Pulham, president of the Space Foundation in Colorado Springs.

Pulham and Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns Wednesday both praised the way the community- particularly its business leaders - have embraced the new space mission at Offutt.

"The mission fits so well with what the business community is about, which is producing high-quality, well-paying jobs," Johanns said.

Omaha's new role has quietly led to an increase in the number of space-related contractors opening up offices in the Omaha area. The trend should continue as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a longtime advocate of military space programs, plans billions in spending on new and upgraded systems, Pulham said.

Omaha also is now home to an annual conference hosted by the non- profit Space Foundation that brings together the major players in military space, including the defense contractors who annually compete for billions in lucrative contracts. More than 500 military and industry representatives are attending this week's meeting at the Embassy Suites Hotel downtown.

It hasn't exactly been Star Wars, but the current Iraq conflict has served as a showcase for space's new role in war.

Lord said the U.S. assault on Baghdad, the fastest advance in military history, would not have been possible without space-based systems.

Precision, space-guided munitions also are now the U.S. military standard. In the first Gulf War 12 years ago, only 8 percent of the bombs were precision guided, by lasers. In the Iraq war, 80 percent had space-based guidance systems.

Military officials say that significantly reduced the number of bombs dropped and the civilian casualties.

Space technology even makes its way down to the individual soldier, with many carrying their own satellite communications and global positioning equipment that tells them exactly where they are.

"The U.S. military is really a space force," Pulham said.

As part of a natural progression, the Iraq war also saw the first-ever attempt to attack U.S. space capabilities, with Iraqi troops attempting to jam the global positioning systems of guided munitions.

In an interview, Lord said he could not comment on how successful those attempts were. But he said the future will require the U.S. to develop ways to counter such efforts and protect its military assets - and advantages - in space.

"Space superiority is our imperative," Lord said. "If you're not in space, you're not in the race."

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