Starlink possesses advantages such as fast communication speeds, large bandwidth, low latency, and high cost-effectiveness. It is not affected by complex terrains like mountains, oceans, polar regions, adverse weather conditions, or complex electromagnetic environments. It can provide unrestricted satellite network services at any time, place, and environment. This has garnered significant attention from the U.S. Department of Defense, which relies on it to construct a new military communication ecosystem. The aim is to build the next-generation advanced battle management system (ABMS) and joint all-domain command and control system (JADC2), meeting the needs of joint operations across multiple military branches, ensuring real-time coordination of military actions across sea, land, air, space, and cyberspace (see Figure 1). Simultaneously, various branches of the U.S. military are cooperating with SpaceX to build branch-specific combat networks. For example, in May 2020, the U.S. Army and SpaceX signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to meet the Army’s growing interconnected network needs in command, control, and tactical communications. The U.S. Army, through its Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) C5ISR Center located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, tested the use of Starlink broadband to support military network data transmission. In August 2020, SpaceX collaborated with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for the preliminary testing of its “Global Lightning” initiative, integrating Starlink into the Air Force’s emerging next-generation sensor network. Additionally, SpaceX collaborated with Ball Aerospace, a major contractor of the U.S. Air Force, to provide satellite communication services for AC-130 gunships, F-35, and F-22 fighter jets. In February 2020, the newly established U.S. Space Force signed the Enterprise Satellite Communications Initiative, enhancing cooperation with private sectors like SpaceX, integrating Starlink into the space equipment communication network as a crucial component. As a response, SpaceX launched laser communication links specifically for military satellites, incorporating U.S. Space Force satellites into the Starlink constellation communication network, sharing its communication network service resources.

“星链”具有通信速度快、带宽大、延迟短、效费比高等优势，不受高山、海洋、极地等复杂地形环境、恶劣气候环境以及复杂电磁环境的影响，能够在任何时间、任何地域、任何环境提供不受限制的卫星网络服务，由此引发美国国防部的高度关注，并依托其构建新的军用通信生态系统，建设符合多军兵种联合作战需求的新一代先进战斗管理系统（ABMS）和联合全域指挥和控制系统（JADC2），旨在保证美国军队和盟国能够在海上、陆地、空中、太空和网络空间等领域实现实时协调军事行动（参见图 1）。 与此同时，美军各军兵种也与 SpaceX 展开合作，构建兵种作战网络。陆军方面，2020 年 5 月，陆军和 SpaceX 签署“合作研发协议”（Cooperative Research and Development Agreement，简称 CRADA），以满足陆军在指挥、控制和战术通信领域日益增长的互联网络连接需求。美国陆军通过 位于马里兰州阿伯丁试验场的作战能力发展司令部（DEVCOM）指挥、控制、 通信、计算机、网络、情报、监视和侦察中心（C5ISR），试验使用“星链” 宽带支撑军事网络数据传输。 空军方面，2020 年 8 月，SpaceX 与美国空军研究实验室（AFRL）合作，参与其“全球闪电”计划初步测试，将“星链”集成到空军新兴的下一代传感器——“射击网络”之中。 此外，SpaceX 还与美国空军的主要承包商之一鲍尔航空航天公司（Ball Aerospace）展开深度合作，为美国空军 AC-130 武装直升机、F-35 和 F-22 战斗机提供卫星通信服务。 太空军方面， 2020 年 2 月，新成立的美国太空部队签署了企业卫星通信倡议，强化太空军与SpaceX 等私营部门之间的合作，将“星链”作为太空装备通信网络建设的重要组成部分。 作为回应，SpaceX 推出了专门服务于军用卫星的“卫星间激光通信” 链路服务，将隶属于太空军的军用卫星作为“合作伙伴卫星”，并入“星链”的星座通信网络，共享“星链”的通信网络服务资源。