The Army is moving to orbit small satellites on an experimental basis, Lt. Gen. Kevin Campbell, commanding general of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said.

He spoke before a breakfast forum of the National Defense University Foundation at the Capitol Hill Club.

"We’re looking at small satellites on an experimental basis," he said. "We’re committed to doing a demonstration."

An initial hurdle will be getting the birds into orbit, he indicated.

"The issue is going to be getting them into space," he said. "We’re trying to work with a launch partner to help us with that."

This isn’t some elaborate system, he said, but a very simple demonstration. "That’s all it is. It’s small satellites for a very limited purpose. Just a demonstration."

The news media have inflated the program out of proportion to seem like some major initiative, he said. It is just a "demonstration [with] small satellites. And we’re committed to building it. But again you’ve got to find launch partners."