The 1967 Outer Space Treaty bars signatories from placing "in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction." In recent months, reports have been made public that the United States believes Russia is developing a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon. The detonation of a nuclear weapon in space has the potential to disrupt not only military capabilities, but also commercial services all over the world. What actions should AFGSC be prepared for in the case that Russia rescinds themselves from the 1967 treaty and deploys these weapons in space? What can AFGSC do to proactively deter Russia from doing this? In the event that deterrence fails, are there any new assurances to allies that AFGSC is uniquely positioned to provide? Potential options might include fielding new capabilities, the declassification of current programs, and force posture adjustments.
- Adewunmi, Maj. Adekunbi H., "Evolving Deterrence: Preventing Destruction in Outer Space," AFGC thesis, 2025, 48 pgs.
- While she does not specifically single out AFGSC, Adewunmi directly tackles the threat of a Russian nuclear ASAT weapon, characterizing its potential deployment and detonation as the most dangerous future scenario for low Earth orbit (LEO). She suggests that proactively deterring this catastrophic threat requires building an extraordinarily resilient satellite architecture that diminishes the strategic value of a nuclear strike, establishing firm policy red lines, and reducing the overclassification of space programs to share vital intelligence with allies, thereby forming a unified international coalition to deter Russian aggression.