Leaders Make the Case for Partnerships During Space Industry Days

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AFNS) -- Commanders of all three U.S. Space Force field commands spoke about the critical role of space industry partnerships in fielding combat-credible space forces during a two-day event hosted by AFCEA, Oct. 21-22, in Los Angeles as part of L.A. Space Week.

Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, Space Systems Command commander, Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, Combat Forces Command commander, and Maj. Gen. James Smith, Space Training and Readiness Command commander, each delivered a keynote address reinforcing the messages of readiness, speed and industry partnership to standing-room-only audiences in town to learn about mission area priorities.

Performing while transforming

"My message is straightforward," Garrant said. "We are changing how we work: how we connect with operators and mission partners; how we work with industry; and how we equip our workforce to move at the pace the mission demands."

Garrant listed numerous changes across Space Systems Command in the past year regarding capability, space industry connections and workforce improvements. SSC delivered the final GPS III satellite to orbit in a year that saw a historic launch pace from both coasts. The Victus Haze launch demonstrated that the command could launch within 16 hours from notice to launch and get capability on orbit quickly.

Driving the U.S. Space Force's Commercial Space Strategy is SSC's Commercial Space Office (COMSO), which announced that its new Enterprise Space Activity Group (ESAG) and Working Capital Fund executed $1.2 billion across 162 contracts for commercial SATCOM operational capability. COMSO also announced the launch of its new Access to the Classified Ecosystem for Space (ACES), designed to enable better industry participation in war games, exercises and classified events through COMSO-assisted security clearances for companies with a U.S. Department of War sponsor.

Garrant also shared industry feedback demonstrating the command's progress in hitting small business goals, as well as commercial access, pathways and contract awards, while realistically acknowledging areas where improvements remain underway when it comes to clarity, follow-through and conversion to mission outcomes.

"Next October, we will be right back here at Space Industry Days to show you our work again," Garrant said. "That is our commitment: continue delivering today's mission, continue transforming for tomorrow's fight, and continue being candid about both."

"What's going to happen in 15 years?"

In his Oct. 22 keynote, Gagnon began by outlining how the three commands work together.

"In Combat Forces Command, it's our job to take the people and the kit and turn it into combat-credible, ready-to-fight, ready-to-win forces," Gagnon explained. "We also have to build the tactics, techniques, procedures and coordinate functions inside the joint force so that spacepower can fuel our ability as a nation, not just to defend ourselves, but to power project."

Gagnon said there are a lot of things the U.S. Space Force has done right. CFC has operationally accepted more than 50 different capabilities this year, as well as cyber-hardened both weapons systems and installations. He noted that the 16-hour Victus Nox launch, which demonstrated the U.S. Space Force's ability to rapidly launch and get capability on orbit, "didn't exist 24 to 36 months ago."

In 2011, the U.S. Space Force had 18 launches. This year, it is projecting more than 170 - a more than eightfold increase powered by reusable commercial launch. In 2011, one launch equaled about 1.5 satellites in space; today, a single launch can put 50 satellites on orbit.

"Combat realities change quickly," Gagnon said. "Militaries that adapt, win."

"We are changing, not just to change," Gagnon said. "We are changing because we are facing a very aggressive, fast-moving adversary. We are moving fast because we're in a race and in this race, second place loses."

CFC has learned several things from major combat operations, Gagnon said. Mobility equals survivability, and it's not just the ability to "box it up and move," but the ability to do so repeatedly, Gagnon said. Camouflage, concealment and deception are in vogue again.

"We need to plan and budget for the fact that we will have attrition," Gagnon said. "Our operations units have just enough equipment to do their job. You need three times the amount of equipment to do your job when you start planning for attrition."

"What we do, not everyone can do," Gagnon said. "And I will tell you, our greatest advantage over other militaries is our people. Our people want to be in the military, they volunteered, and they're highly educated compared to our potential adversaries. U.S. enlisted forces, whether it's in the maritime services, the space service or the Army, do functions that in foreign militaries are only done by officers. Our people are the special sauce."

What happens the day after a capability is delivered to the joint force?

Smith explained in his keynote address, "STARCOM's responsibility begins where a program milestone alone cannot answer the most important question: What happens the day after delivery?"

"Think about everything that's gone into that moment," Smith said. "Engineers have solved difficult technical problems, teams have worked requirements and design reviews, and people have made hard choices about costs and schedule. A new capability has reached the force."

"That is a significant accomplishment, but put yourself in the position of the Guardian who has to use it," Smith said. "That Guardian needs to understand what the system can do, what its limitations are and how to employ it as part of a larger mission. The force needs tactics to account for those limitations. Commanders need evidence about how the capability will perform under the conditions they expect to face."

"That's where the distance between capability, delivery and combat credibility becomes visible," Smith explained. "STARCOM helps close the distance by developing Guardians, evaluating capabilities and bringing people and systems together with the tactics they need to succeed. Our contribution gives the force a stronger foundation for operational employment."
"Industry partnership belongs in that work from the beginning," Smith said. "The choices made during development affect what an instructor can teach, and what a tester can observe. They affect how a capability connects to another system and how quickly supporting training can change. We earn combat credibility by understanding how Guardians, systems and tactics perform together."

Smith shared how industry can help by designing for trainability so that Guardians can practice the capability they actually operate. Give test teams the data, instrumentation, models and access required to allow Guardians to understand performance under realistic conditions. Industry also can help by designing for integration and adaptation. Interfaces need to be usable across the mission thread, and industry can build technical and business approaches that support meaningful updates at operational speed. Finally, Smith said, industry should stay engaged after the first delivery.

"These are concrete areas where industry can contribute," Smith said. "Bring us an explanation of the mission problem your approach addresses, and the work it enables. Everyone must be equally clear about the requirements and the evidence we need. That is how industry helps us all forge a combat-credible Space Force."