News

The United States Space Force has activated its first and only unit dedicated to targeting other nations’ satellites and the ground stations that support them. The 75th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (ISRS) was activated on Aug. 11 at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado. This unit is part of Space Delta 7, an element of the U.S. Space Force tasked with providing intelligence on adversary space capabilities.

The 75th ISRS will analyze the capabilities of potential targets, locate and track these targets, and participate in “target engagement.” This could involve destroying or disrupting adversary satellites, ground stations, and transmissions between them.

According to Lt. Col. Travis Anderson, who leads the squadron, the idea of a dedicated space targeting unit has been in the works for years. The unit’s patch, unveiled at the activation ceremony, features a grim reaper with a delta shape for a nose. The delta represents the historic ties to the earliest days of the U.S. Air Force space community and all variations of space vehicles that support the U.S. military.

Master Sgt. Desiree Cabrera, 75th ISRS operations superintendent, stated that the new unit will revolutionize space targeting capabilities not just for the Space Force, but for the entire U.S. military. The 75th ISRS will also analyze adversary space capabilities and counterspace force threats. Counterspace forces refer to systems aimed at preventing the U.S. from using its own satellites during a conflict, including ground-based lasers, signal jammers, and cyberattacks.

As the reliance on space-based assets increases worldwide, including navigation and communication satellites, early warning missile tracking systems, and targeting sensors, the Space Force and other militaries will enhance their abilities to monitor both defensive and offensive adversary capabilities in Earth’s orbit.

The post The United States Space Force Activates Dedicated Space Targeting Unit appeared first on satProviders.