AU-18 Space Primer

The goal of the updated AU-18 Space Primer is to integrate spacepower into the thinking of joint planners, joint leaders, and the joint force commander. The Space Force is responsible for presenting highly trained space professionals, enabling capabilities, offensive space control capabilities and personnel, and defensive capabilities and personnel to the joint force. Additionally, it is charged with developing a space warfighting culture and expanding its capabilities to account for the realities of space as a domain for commerce, exploration, settlement, and, when necessary, warfighting. This primer serves as a desktop reference for leaders and planners who need to understand space capabilities, space domain limitations, and operational considerations for space support. It also serves as a reference for space and other professionals about operational considerations for space capabilities they may have limited working knowledge of. To accomplish these goals, the revised AU-18 endeavors to provide the right balance of information for joint operations and planning and for Guardians, Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines.