Europe’s Future Capabilities in Space and in the Higher Atmosphere: HYDEF Hypersonic Interceptors, Satellite Resilience, and Space Commands

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare, the significance of space in military operations has reached unprecedented heights. As nations gear up for multi-domain operations, the theatres of battle extend far beyond the traditional land, sea, and airfields. The critical role of space for the defence sector has forced EU member states to upgrade their capabilities in this area. In this paper, we briefly show how the armed forces of European states increased their interoperability in space and the upper atmosphere. To do this, we refer to the new European space commands, the investments of European countries, military exercises concerning the space domain and, finally, the most recent developments concerning European high-atmosphere hypersonic missile interceptors.

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Orbiting a Solution to Anti-Satellite Weapons

One of the many problems that the scientific community is facing today is space debris. Space debris is exceptionally dangerous as it can cause the Kessler Effect, a scenario where objects in space collide, creating an exponentially growing mount of rubble orbiting the planet. What is especially concerning is the use of anti-satellite weapons (ASATs), which leave hundreds of thousands of debris items in space, putting astronauts and other satellites at risk. If states continue to test their ASAT weapons or use them to attack other satellites, this could have a dramatic impact on all space actors as well as future generations. This study will explore why the international community has not banned the use of ASATs yet and it will investigate how to achieve this outcome through an in-depth analysis of space-related treaties.

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New and Old Issues in Space Security: from Space Debris Removal to Italy’s Call for Satellite Protection

Following the recognition by Italy of space as a domain for military operations, the country must increase the robustness and the protection of its satellites. This decision aligns with international and transnational organisations of which Italy is a member, such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The problem to be tackled is active attacks in space and the always present issue of space and orbital debris.

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Electronic Warfare: Between Recent Military Developments and New Strategic Priorities

During the last week of March 2022, various sources reported the capture of a Russian advanced electronic warfare system (EWS) by Ukrainian forces. According to Insider and The Time of London, the Ukrainian armed forces identified an abandoned, damaged container covered by tree branches between the town of Makariv and Kyiv. The container was eventually identified as the command post of one of the most advanced Russian EWS, the 1RL257 Krasukha-4.

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