Space Force and Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”

The nature of warfare in outer space is now at a critical juncture. Multiple governments around the world have recognized the need to protect their satellites due to the universally perceived threat to their critical space infrastructures. The United States has recently taken the lead with the creation of their new Space Force service. Now is the time to conduct a foundational assessment of the best ways to conduct space warfare with minimal effects on the environment. Based on the author’s extensive experience in this theoretical area (46 years), he proposes to develop essential theories, rules, doctrine, strategies, and tactics by which the next space war will be conducted. These are based on his unclassified analyses of past military history, traditional Principles of War, and current warfighting doctrine. This next step is to analyze Sun Tzu's “Art of War” applicability to Space Warfare. This ancient military philosopher has established the fundamental rules by which to conduct warfare. No matter what the age, warfare is still between adversary commander’s minds and certainly still contains the human element, and ancient principles are still applicable to modern warfare.

It is proposed the author take the next steps in deriving modern principles of war from Sun Tzu’s teachings. This will end up being my finest work yet.

Some possible example derivations are given below:

Sun Tzu: “When using our forces, we must seem inactive. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant”.

Derived Space Strategy (1): Fake the deaths of various satellites with covert, reserve space weapons missions, over a period of months and years before employing them in surprise attacks.

Derived Space Strategy (2): Develop some overt civil & commercial space systems that can also have space weapons capabilities (e.g., space maintenance robots).

Sun Tzu: “Feign disorder and crush him”.

Derived Space Strategy (3): Make a series of random satellite maneuvers to confuse the enemy as to your true intentions, and to appear confused in your responses to his attacks. Some of these supposed random maneuvers hide real attacks with obscure intentions.

Derived Space Strategy (4): During space conflicts you may decide to trade orbital space for time - in other words you may give up key orbits and maneuvering room solely because it will take your adversaries some time to fill this void, or chase you down, or simply force him to use up valuable satellite fuel, while giving yourself more time to make better counter-attack preparations.

The author, Paul Szymanski of the Space Strategies Center, has extensive experience in all fields related to space warfare: policy, strategy, simulations, surveillance, survivability, threat assessment, long-range strategic planning, and command and control. In addition, he has a comprehensive experience base, having worked directly with multiple services (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines), civilian agencies (NASA, DARPA, FEMA), and from the Pentagon (Secretary of the Air Force) to systems development (Space and Missile Systems Center - SMC), technology development (Air Force Research Lab - AFRL) to operational field test (China Lake Naval Test Center). This gives him a unique perspective in understanding the divergent issues associated with each step of the DOD procurement process.

Links to his previous work and professional websites are below:

LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/PaulSzymanski

Professional Websites: http://www.space.forces.space/ or http://www.space.forces.today/

Paul Szymanski Primary Briefings:

1.)How to Fight and Win the Coming Space War – by Paul Szymanski

2.)Space Operational Art and Design (SOAD)

3.)Space Warfare Analysis Tools (SWAT) - Summary

It will take the author 6-8 months to complete this analysis of all 64 principles of Sun Tzu. It is anticipated he will produce 10-20 space strategies derived from each Sun Tzu principle. The total funding level is based on the author’s usual GAO government contractual hourly rate. Supporters will receive monthly emails on my progress, and the final results. Backers will be able to comment and produce some of their own space strategies, and will be listed in the final product as patrons and developers of this effort (if wanted, you can remain anonymous). This will produce a document that will become a classic of military thought, and will be employed in space warfare planning and taught in military schools for many years to come.