Space Force Commander on Spectrum Control for Golden Dome and Stratcom Missions

Importance of Spectrum Control for Golden Dome

• 🚀 Golden Dome cannot be executed without full access to specific spectrum bands: the lower three and the seven to eight gigahertz.
• 🛰️ The lower three band is crucial for tracking from the ground using various radars.
• 📡 The seven and eight gigahertz band is vital for communications and other special missions, with requirements expected to grow.

Impact of Spectrum Auctioning

• ⚠️ Auctioning off currently utilized spectrum would significantly impact mission effectiveness for both Spacecom and Stratcom.
• ⏱️ Relocating to a new spectrum would require extensive research and development, potentially taking 10 to 20 years, with no guarantee of equivalent capability.

Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Possibilities

• 🤝 The department is exploring dynamic spectrum sharing as a potential solution to allow commercial industry access to spectrum.
• 🔬 While the technology is reported to be close to ready, testing and verification are necessary to ensure it meets required conditions.
• 📊 General Cotton emphasizes that understanding the threat and tracking activities ('left of launch') are dependent on current spectrum access.
• 📈 The capacity and capability of communication systems, including satcom, are also reliant on available spectrum bands.