The move is part of a long-running effort by Space Systems Command to reorganize acquisition programs along mission area lines, syncing up with the structure of the service's main operational arm, Space Operations Command.
One of the key challenges for tracking enemy aircraft from space is that airplanes and drones move much faster than tanks, trucks and ships; confounded by the fact that satellites themselves also move around the Earth extremely fast.
Michigan’s defense ecosystem and expertise makes it a special asset for production.
Calvelli's decision comes after a five-month delay necessary to hash out a reliable cost estimate for the NRO-Space Force development program.
Perhaps most intriguing is legislative language that calls into question Pentagon and IC plans to declassify data from classified remote sensing satellites that are part of a newly developed joint architecture called the "High-Capacity, Find, Fix, Track, Target and Engage and Assess Constellation," or "HCF" for short.
Under the Science and Technology Applied RF Systems program, estimated to cost a total of nearly $95 million over six years, AFRL is looking to award up to three indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts.
In an exclusive sit down with Breaking Defense, Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth defended his agency's role in moving commercial and government satellite data to the field in a timely manner.
Cybersecurity skills must evolve in near-real time as Zero Day threats continue and AI provides new challenges.
The delay in the review, however, is not expected to impact the planned delivery schedule, an Air Force spokesperson said. That said, neither the Pentagon nor the NRO has revealed the hoped-for schedule.
Meanwhile, the report says, the Space Force should be in charge of pursuing large networks of small satellites under the Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) — differentiating its "tactical ISR" job from the "strategic" mission of NRO.
Lt. Gen. David Miller, head of Space Operations Command, said the ongoing tussle with the Intelligence Community is like when dogs first meet in a dog park. "The dogs like spend five minutes sniffing each other's butts. That's the phase I think we're in. We just need to get off that," he said.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall explained that the "small decrease in the number for the Space Force" isn't itself quite reflective of reality, as there are mitigating circumstances that lessen the blow.
The initial command and control gateway to earn a continuous Authority to Operate is changing multi-domain operations.
“Mission engineering” can integrate space and ground assets to push data to the edge.
"We are clearly moving away from airborne ISR assets and moving into space. It's the absolute right thing to do from a resiliency and sustainability perspective," Air Force space acquisition czar Frank Calvelli said.
"And so I think, as you see new missions come on, you can presume that that means more Guardians to perform those missions, and we'll have to adjust the strength going up," said CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman.
"This is a new type of capability. It's not completely the Intelligence Community supporting the [Defense Department]. It's not completely a DoD mission without the help of the Intelligence Community. It's this combination of the two," said CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman.