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Air & Space Power Journal - Fall 2006

We encourage you to send your comments to us, preferably via e-mail, at aspj@maxwell.af.mil . You may also send letters to the Editor, Aerospace Power Journal, 401 Chennault Circle, Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6428. We reserve the right to edit the material for overall length.

In his article “Near Space 2015: A Conceptual Vision of Near-Space Operations” (summer 2006), Maj Mark Steves seriously under-estimates India’s communications capabilities. I specifically disagree with his assumption that India by 2015 would need a US “near-space craft” for enabling communications during an earthquake on its coast. Even today, India is well connected by satellite communications provided by the INSAT series. By 2015 our capabilities will be even more advanced. India might indeed appreciate US assistance in the event of a natural disaster, but we have enough space assets to look after our needs.

K. K. Nair
New Delhi, India

Kindly convey my heartiest congratulations to Lt Col Edward B. Tomme, USAF, retired, for his article “The Myth of the Tactical Satellite” (summer 2006). In one masterstroke, the colonel has put the entire conundrum in perspective and blown away a lot of myths from propagandists—and he does so in terms easily understood by practitioners and laypersons alike. While it is understandable that the colonel has focused only on the land aspect, the worrisome trend that is slowly spreading is the advocacy of “tactical maritime surveillance satellites”—something that sounds patently oxymoronic. I would like to highlight one thing, which may or may not have been covered in the extended version of Colonel Tomme’s paper. While one can have high-gain antennae that would detect faint signals at extended ranges, imagine the number of signals that the same receiver will pick up in a dense field of view, such as when the satellite reaches its lowest altitude. Weeding out the spurious and multipath emissions will prove to be a Herculean task, thus further complicating efforts to separate the grain from the chaff—especially when the satellite is in a signals-intelligence role. The author has focused primarily on imaging sensors in the visible and infrared bands. How about synthetic aperture radar or inverse synthetic aperture radar, technologies that have opened up exciting possibilities for overcoming the ill effects of atmospheric disturbances and poor visibility? In the maritime domain, ships have now been mandated to install an Automatic Identification System (AIS) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. These operate in the VHF/UHF band and work on the principle of self-organizing time-division multiple access. Simple back-of-the-envelope calculation indicates that an AIS receiver fitted on a low-Earth-orbit satellite can provide tactical-level information on a near-real-time basis. However, for it to be of any use over a particularly large ocean expanse, there ought to be augmentation in either of the following two forms: (1) additional satellites or (2) tactically deployable unmanned aerial vehicles that can be triggered by a satellite feed to patrol areas indicated to have the most threat.

Cdr V. Srivatsan, Indian Navy
New Delhi, India

Congratulations to both ASPJ and General Qaa’id for an excellent article (“Iraq amidst Two Forms of Terrorism,” spring 2006). It’s absolutely critical that we hear directly from our coalition partners. It’s even more important to get their understanding and interpretation of the facts on the ground before, during, and after Operation Iraqi Freedom.

We must understand the culture, the mental terrain, of those we work with as well as those we work against. Reading General Qaa’id’s lyric prose gives one a glimpse of the power of expression required for ideas to compete in Middle Eastern cultures. It’s very different from the clinical approach taken by US authors. The general’s words show the power of vivid imagery while losing none of their intellectual content and impact.

In fact, reading his article provides an insight into and example of what we must do to compete in the war of ideas for both Iraqi Freedom and the war on terrorism. The measured and cold statements we make about freedom and progress are not resonating with people whose mental filters are tuned to metaphor and allegory. Maybe it’s time to hire an Iraqi poet instead of a translator to get our message out.

I was struck by a profound message while reading General Qaa’id’s words when he said, “Some say that America invaded Iraq. I call it liberation of my country from the regime of a tyrant and his accomplices. In fact, Saddam brought America to Iraq. . . . But he forgot the power of God, who harnessed the strength of the United States to liberate Iraq after Americans died in the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001” (8–9).

This is a powerful message coming from an Iraqi leader. Iraqi Freedom was not a war between the US-led coalition and Iraq. The coalition was merely a tool used by God to liberate Iraq from Saddam’s tyranny.

The fact that I find this so striking shows the effect of my own cultural filters. The metaphor is not unknown in our culture—just little used today. Numerous invasions and catastrophes have been interpreted as God’s action to set the world right and take vengeance on evil-doers. Was not Attila the scourge of God against Europe?

General Qaa’id has outlined a powerful narrative of the war against terrorism. God abhors violence against Muslims and innocents—both the state-sponsored violence of Saddam Hussein and the bloody actions of terrorists. God is great enough to use every tool, including non-Muslims, to redress these wrongs. In this context, the United States is but a tool to liberate Muslims, end the evils of terrorism, and provide Muslims the freedom to practice their faith and contribute to a global civilization.

To compete in a war of ideas, we’ve got to speak to the audience in a way they understand.

Col John Jogerst, USAF
Hurlburt Field, Florida

The authors of the article “Technical Education for Air Force Space Professionals” (winter 2005) are pleased with the progress cited in Lt Col Thomas Peppard’s letter (summer 2006) concerning our article, especially in that much of that progress is in concert with the article’s recommendations. However, we respectfully disagree with the assessment that a direct liaison between the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) and Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) is unnecessary. A significant advantage possessed by AFIT and the Naval Postgraduate School relative to their civilian counterparts is an exceptional responsiveness to changing educational-curricula needs. For example, AFIT’s Department of Operational Sciences is a permanent representative at quarterly Air Force Analytic Community Senior Leader meetings. This routine interface provides insight into dynamic war-fighting-analyst requirements and facilitates near-real-time adjustments to the institute’s graduate programs in operations research. Flag-officer representation in the Space Professional Oversight Board and periodic “observer” participation in the Joint Space Academic Group do not provide the direct interaction essential to create this level of synergy between operational space practitioners and academic institutions.

The Space Commission concluded, via extensive study, that the educational background and experience of senior space leaders were substantially inadequate. An educational-needs-assessment methodology that draws heavily on the expertise of these same senior leaders would seem problematic. Indeed, an Air Force Space Command study concluded that present accession requirements are satisfactory yet still called for additional officer education in the core areas of math, physics, sciences, and engineering during the first four years of service as part of earning an “initial space certificate.” (See Lt Col Peppard, Headquarters AFSPC/A1FX, “Air Force Space Professional Development Plan Update” [PowerPoint presentation, Joint Space Academic Group Meeting, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, March 2006].) The cost, in terms of both time and money, to provide such education is unnecessary, given that officers already possessing this core knowledge could be readily obtained through modest changes to accession policies.

Lt Col Raymond W. Staats, USAF
Maxwell AFB, Alabama

Maj Derek Abeyta, USAF
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

Air & Space Power Journal is very valuable to the members of our Colombian air force. The topics you publish are discussed in forums and used as instructional tools in our various military academies. Colombian Air Force Academy cadets have been assigned to research Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald Murray’s article “Developing Airmen: Building a World-Class Noncommissioned Officer Corps” (winter 2005).

Clara Ines Parra
Bogotá, Colombia