Space Force Collaboration between Acquisition and Operations Teams for Enhanced Satellite Capabilities
The Space Force, a key player in the United States' defense strategy, has taken significant steps to streamline its acquisition and operations processes. This move aims to accelerate and improve the development of new systems, tailoring them more effectively to emerging threats and operational needs.
In a major development, the Space Force has established four new system deltas, with the first two debuting in December 2023. These units, System Delta 84 and System Delta 810, are dedicated to missile warning and space sensing missions. Their role includes buying, building, and launching satellites for these critical functions.
These new units will work in tandem with mission deltas, which handle daily operations in the same areas. For instance, Mission Delta 31 currently manages the GPS constellation and has collaborated closely with Space Systems Command on seamless transition exercises for new control systems.
The Space Force's strategy is to organize itself around mission areas like missile warning, rather than functional areas such as intelligence or cyber effects. This approach encourages a feedback loop, where operational insights directly influence system design, testing, and deployment.
By embedding acquisition units alongside operational units, the Space Force seeks to identify mission gaps early, thereby improving system relevance and responsiveness. This integration also encourages the use of multiple technologies and sensor types, such as radar and passive radio frequency detection, to fuse data for more effective missile warning and space sensing.
In response to staffing shortages, the Space Force is exploring faster, less cumbersome paths to acquisition. Officials will shuffle resources in response to the findings, and the Space Force's acquisition cadre is shrinking as it takes on a central role in the Golden Dome missile defense shield project.
The Space Force has lost 450 civilian staffers due to the Pentagon's deferred resignation program, a move that has affected the command's contracting expertise. Despite this, the Space Force stands firm in its mission to execute the $10 billion it received in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" effectively and efficiently.
The Golden Dome project, expected to rely heavily on military space sensors and a new array of missile interceptors orbiting the Earth, will be supported by these new system deltas. The keynote speech at Ascend, an annual space industry conference organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, was given by Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, providing insight into these developments.
The Space Force aims to establish six more system deltas over the next few months, further strengthening its capabilities in the increasingly contested space domain. This integrated approach is intended to improve agility, system performance, and mission effectiveness, ensuring the Space Force remains a formidable force in the defense of the nation.
- The first two new System Delta units, System Delta 84 and System Delta 810, focusing on missile warning and space sensing missions, will be responsible for buying, building, and launching satellites in the Space Force.
- The Space Force's strategy of organizing itself around mission areas like missile warning encourages a feedback loop, where operational insights directly influence system design, testing, and deployment.
- By embedding acquisition units alongside operational units, the Space Force aims to identify mission gaps early, thereby improving system relevance and responsiveness.
- The Space Force's acquisition cadre is shrinking as it takes on a central role in the Golden Dome missile defense shield project, which is expected to rely heavily on military space sensors and new missile interceptors orbiting the Earth.
- The Space Force plans to establish six more system deltas over the next few months, further strengthening its capabilities in the increasingly contested space domain, aiming to improve agility, system performance, and mission effectiveness.
