The current climate of on-going NATO operations has increased both the demand for, as well as the awareness of, Space operations and systems. Presently NATO has limited personnel and governance dedicated to Space. NATO has had successes in the areas of Shared Early Warning, satellite communications, environmental sensing and ISR. However, there is no policy, committee or working group that oversees all of the Space operations mission areas, national Space operations or provides strategic guidance to the member nations.

The JAPCC investigated shortfalls in NATO Space operations and gaps in governance and will provides recommendations on the way ahead. The paper investigates the issues and provides recommendations for both short term and long term solutions for NATO Space operations to better enable an Effects Based Approach to Operations. This includes addressing interoperability and integration of Space in operations. The project identifies these key findings:

• Proper governance is critical to all mission areas. NATO currently does not have a Space policy or Space strategy. There are also other gaps in governance, guidance and doctrine.

• NATO does not have enough space expertise. More personnel are needed with expertise in space operations, at all levels: tactical, operational and strategic level staffs. Furthermore, space activities should be integrated into training and exercises, in both national and NATO events.

• NATO has a need for, but is lacking space situational awareness, space control (assuring and defending the domain) and needs to better integrate national space capabilities in order to be able to conduct combined space operations.

• Currently, there is no central point for reachback for Space support. There are military, civil and various national Space capabilities available to NATO. In order to better integrate, synchronize and support the warfighter, NATO needs space staff officers at ACT, ACO and other organizations. A NATO Space Operations Coordination Centre may also need to be established.

c4istar@japcc.de