Last week, a top official from the U.S. Space Command highlighted several important lessons learned from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Lt. Gen. John Shaw, the deputy commander of the Space Command, shared these insights during an event focused on space power at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The aim was to improve our understanding of the evolving role of space in modern warfare.
One of the key takeaways mentioned by Shaw was the cyberattack on a satellite communication (satcom) network in February 2022, coinciding with the initial invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This attack resulted in a significant satcom outage across central and western Europe, leaving thousands without internet access and hampering communication for the Ukrainian defense. The incident served as a stark reminder of the dependence and vulnerability of both cyber and commercial space domains to hostile forces.
Another significant feature of the war is the use of “satcom jamming,” an electronic warfare technique that disrupts communication between satellites. Both Russia and Ukraine have employed this tactic during the conflict, affecting the maneuverability of satellites on either side.
Furthermore, Shaw highlighted the widespread deployment of navigation war (NAVWAR) in the conflict. NAVWAR involves deliberate disruptions of a military’s positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities in space and cyberspace. According to Shaw, the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine in this regard is the largest ever witnessed.
These challenges have necessitated a reevaluation of GPS systems by countries to adapt and defend against emerging digital domain attacks. In response, the U.S. is preparing to take offensive measures in potential NAVWAR scenarios, as revealed by Shaw.
Gen. Kevin P. Chilton also expressed concerns about China’s growing presence in space and its implications for U.S. national security interests. Additionally, he acknowledged the distinct threat posed by Russia to U.S. space operations.
The U.S. established the Joint Navigation Warfare Center (JNWC) in 2004 with the objective of ensuring positioning, navigation, and timing superiority for the Department of Defense, interagency partners, and coalition forces. However, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has highlighted the unprecedented scale of NAVWAR challenges in a full-scale war between modern militaries.
“We will learn from that how to conduct NAVWAR at scale from both a defense and offensive perspective,” said Shaw, emphasizing the importance of studying and adapting to the dynamics of space warfare as demonstrated in the ongoing conflict.
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