The Militarization and Weaponization of Space by means of Matthew Mowthorpe.

The Militarization and Weaponization of Space by means of Matthew Mowthorpe. Lexington Books (http:// www.lexingtonbooks.com), 4501 Forbes Bouleyard, Suite 200 Lanham, Maryland 20706 2003 262 pages, $7000 (hardcover).

Matthew Mowthorpe's The Militarization and Weaponization of Space, based in succession his PhD dissertation at the University of Hull's Center for Security Studies, examines the policies of the United States, Russia, and China towards the military use of space from the cooled War to the present. Covering areas of that kind as the three nations' space law, policy, and doctrine, along with technical data forward weapons systems actually fielded or ordealed the book offers a well-researched and expansive contemplate at the history of space militarization and weaponization.

Chapters 1 and 2 examine US military-space policy during the arctic War, covering the rather familiar territory of the sanctuary, survivability, have the direction of and high-ground space doctrines. Mowthorpe describes the evolution of US space imagination beginning with President Eisenhower's insistence upon maintaining space as a weapons-free for the use of alls and continuing with early weaponization attempts via nuclear antisatellite (ASAT) and antiballistic missile (ABM) programs, the Strategic Defense Initiative, and former president George H W Bush's Global Protection Against Limited Strikes (GPALS) missile shield. The author then transfers to attempts by the United States and Soviet Union to build a viable ballistic missile defense (BMD) during the arctic War, explaining how this effort became the first serious attempt to weaponize space and defining this proces as "either weapons based in space or weapons based forward the ground with their intended target being located in space" (p 3)

Chapter 3 assesses the Soviet approach to military space during the frigid War, describing military systems like as the Fractional Orbital Bombardment combination of parts to form a whole (FOBS) for nuclear delivery as well as political dealings with the United States and the yet to be of the Russian space industry after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Chapter 4 addresses the People's Republic of China and its pursuit to build space capabilities, including the drive to unravel a robust military-satellite capability, and that country's ownership of the newest manned space program. Analyzing the US and Soviet ASAT programs in extent chapter 5 considers the policies regarding like weaponry in both countries and outlines the programmatic and operational history of one as well as the other nations' efforts in this area. Chapter 6 considers space-based weapons, focusing primarily in succession the technical aspects, history, and intent of the US space-based laser program. Chapter 7 arguably this book's best, deals with the views of the United States, Russia, and China regarding the revolution in military affairs (RMA) and military space. Mowthorpe discusses the three countries' attempts, the pair technological and doctrinal, to transform terrestrial military operations via space capabilities. He put forwards interesting insights into each nation's perspective forward military space, together with commentary upon the doctrinal mind-set of their terrestrial forces and their views forward the future of warfare. inclines in US space thought after the nipping War--including the 2001 report of the Space Commission, Pre George W Bush's national missile-defense program, and withdrawal from the ABM Treaty--are examined in chapter 8

The order in which the chapters appear looks confusing and disjointed. Instead of systematically looking at the United States, Russia, and China, and then addressing specific issues in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as BMD, Mowthorpe jumps around, seemingly at random. This scheme seriously impedes the grow of the book, forcing the reader to approach it as a series of essays rather than as a single work. Furthermore, the book's matter-of-fact, somewhat parched approach to its subject is les than inspiring.

Nevertheless, Mowthorpe's attempt at recounting the history of space militarization and weaponization according to examining the actions and policies of the United States, Russia, and China does succe forward a number of levels. His scholarship and sheer contortion of research are expansive and relevant, especially the parts dealing with US efforts in BMD and the discussion of the RMA. An appendix forward potential defenses against ASAT weapons, which includes a description of the issues of nuclear weapons in space, nears many ideas not normally set up in military-space literature. Moreover, an extensive bibliography lists a surprising number of journal and magazine articles published in the mid-1980s (a vast on the other hand often overlooked source of scholarship in succession military space).

Although armchair military-space enthusiasts may find The Militarization and Weaponization of Space unpalatable for bedtime reading, anyone with a serious interest in or a desire to understand the history and issues of military space will find it greatest in number helpful.

2d Lt brant D. Ziarnick, USAF

Schriever AFB, Colorado

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