The UK Space Command held its first space war game to explore strategies for integrating commercial space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance into existing programs such as ISTARI. The ISTARI satellite network for ISR use is a core element of the Ministry of Defence’s space strategy.
Dubbed “Space Warrior,” the activity at Southwick Park’s Defence Experimentation and Wargaming Hub was attended by leaders from the Ministry of Defence, industry and international partners.
Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, commander of UK Space Command, said the insights from the war game determined what the joint command needs in on-orbit ISR capability. “Crucially, it has also evaluated whether we should own the capability, access it through commercial, or collaborate with allies,” he added.
Allen Antrobus, chairperson of the Security and Defence Committee at UK Space, described the space war game’s staging as timely as the United Kingdom prepares for the next Strategic Defence Review. “The inclusion of colleagues from across the industrial sector was an important step forward in demonstrating the MoD’s commitment to listen and engage with the wider defense industrial base,” he said.
The space war game comes as the UK prepares to launch its first satellite, Tyche, under the ISTARI project in summer 2024. The Tyche research and development spacecraft will allow organizations to test and demonstrate various technologies supporting the multi-satellite ISR constellation.
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