According to Admiral Christopher W. Grady, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, “Joint Force integration is uniform agnostic.” This was a critical theme that Adm. Grady underscored during his recent keynote address at the 2023 Air, Space & Cyber Conference, where he discussed the importance of the JWC in deterring and defeating military adversaries and the role that both the Joint Force and commercial industry will play in making the JWC a reality.

The Joint Force and JWC
During his keynote, Adm. Grady explained that the character of today’s modern warfighting and security environments is the most challenging the U.S. has faced in recent history. This is attributed to the challenges the military is currently combatting, which “transcend the ability of a single service, a single combatant commander, a single industrial partner, or a nation or government to address alone.”

Today’s warfighting environments that the U.S. military operates in have an “enduring nature to the strategic competition” that must be carefully and tactically managed. “Our task is clear: bolster our defense, strengthen our global network of allies and partners, and accelerate the development of cutting-edge capabilities and new operational concepts,” stated Adm. Grady.

To achieve the goals set forth by the JWC, Adm. Grady explained that the Joint Force will require ready, responsive, and resilient air and space capabilities that give a competitive advantage in a multi-domain fight. “We will win by integrating all of our nation’s strengths,” said Adm. Grady. “To do this…it is an absolute imperative that our warfighters, technology, and our strategies be attuned to the high-end fight.”

Modernization and the investment in digitally transformed technologies and capabilities are paramount to the realization of the JWC. According to Adm. Grady, the JWC will rely on a “flexible, innovative and tech-enabled” Joint Force. This is especially critical, as Adm. Grady pointed to the founding of the U.S. Space Force and how the military branch now plays a critical role in providing a large set of capabilities required to fulfill the JWC mission.

“We created a service meant to realize the joint alignment and integration that is necessary for reliable and resilient space-based capabilities,” said Adm. Grady. “The competencies of the Space Force enhance our domain awareness, our communications…and support the capabilities of our collective efforts.”

To Adm. Grady, having an integrated, modernized, and tech-enabled JWC, “…steers the Joint Force to ensure that we have the right people, the right equipment, the right training and …to deter and if necessary to win in any future conflict.”

CJADC2
One sub-component that falls under the JWC capability set umbrella is the Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) initiative. CJADC2 is a vision set forth by the DoD that would provide the Joint Force with a full, common operating picture of warfighting environments across the entire military. The Congressional Research Service describes CJADC2 as a “concept to connect sensors from all of the military services—Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force—into a single network.”

The success of the CJADC2 initiative requires modernized and tech-enabled sharing of mission-critical data across DoD agencies, which would enable real-time, threat-informed decision-making for military leaders.

“CJADC2 will integrate our next-generation platforms and break down seams between domains for a truly globally integrated and informed force,” explained Adm. Grady. “As space and cyber and strike are not constrained by national boundaries or borders between combat and commanders, neither will our C2 networks.”

Extending CJADC2 to Space
But there is more to interoperability than simply getting disparate military networks to work together. Mission success in the future also relies on the military developing an integrated space architecture. This integrated network would increase assuredness and resiliency by enabling warfighters to seamlessly roll across multi-orbit, multi-band satellite capabilities provided via disparate military and commercial constellations.

To Adm. Grady, the overall success of CJADC2 and the Joint Warfighting Concept will greatly rely on the innovation and new technologies coming out of the commercial industry. “It is imperative that our partners of the defense industry see themselves in this as part of the value proposition,” explained Adm. Grady. “We need their innovative approaches to discovery and design. We need their operational expertise, efficiencies, and ability to right-size capacity and production to meet our needs. We cannot do it without them.”

And that innovative approach extends beyond companies manufacturing terrestrial communications equipment and solutions, to those that deliver satellite services.

The commercial satellite industry has heeded the call from the DoD, and stands ready to provide the technologies and capabilities to ensure a readied, prepared, and integrated Joint Force.

Solutions like the Information, Communications, and Technologies (ICT) Portal by SES Space & Defense  are specifically designed to deliver the network management, performance monitoring, and security capabilities that are needed for the creation of an integrated satellite architecture.

According to SES Space & Defense’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, Ram Rao, the ICT Portal enables DoD leaders to gain visibility into thousands of different network data points on a singular, consolidated interface, which would ensure the U.S. military maintains a one-step-ahead, competitive advantage over its adversaries. “The ICT Portal will be a window that will enable visibility into the network’s capabilities, how it is built, and how it is operating,” said Rao. “This will deliver complete resiliency to military networks and support the DoD’s CJADC2 initiative.”

To learn more about the multi-domain functionalities that ICT Portal provides to the DoD, click HERE.

The post New technologies Enabling JWC and CJADC2 appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

During one session at this year’s AFA conference, “Partnering to Win in the Space Fight,” military officials from the U.S. and its allies assembled to discuss the current state of their military coalitions in space, the joint capabilities they have leveraged to gain dominance in the domain, as well as the work that is still left to be done in order to hold a strong deterrent position over space adversaries. Session speakers included:

• Space Systems Command’s Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein,
• Royal Canadian Air Force’s Lt. Gen. E.J. Kenny,
• Australian’s Air & Space Attaché’s Air Commadore Angus Porter
• RAF Air and Space Commander Air Marshal Harvey Smyth

According to Air Commodore Porter, a century of joint warfighting as allies have proven that the four nations are capable of protecting any domain that must be defended from adversarial aggression. “The last 100 years have really demonstrated to us the value of working closely with partners,” said Porter. “Particularly with capabilities…and [conducting] warfighting training exercises together, we feel like we’ve been in the environment together before we arrive.”

But the idea of space as a warfighting environment poses a new challenge that the allied nations must come together to solve. As session moderator Col. Charles Galbreath (Ret.) put it, “The space domain is more congested, contested, and competitive than ever. The challenges and threats facing the United States and our allies are growing at an alarming rate.”

But as the session unfolded, it was clear that the four space leaders held the conviction that through their “collaboration, cooperation, and coalition” as spacefaring nations, they indeed will be able to partner and win in the domain.

Opening an international space dialogue
For Air Marshal Smyth, he attributes the standing up of the U.S. Space Force and Space Command as a hefty contributing factor to the U.K. opening a formal discussion around their own military space operations. “I think it’s probably fair to say that had we not seen the U.S. Space Force and a U.S. Space Command, I’m not confident that I could have landed the argument across the government to stand up a U.K. Space Command,” he said.

He went on to acknowledge that at this point in military history, having his nation prioritize space as a warfighting domain is critical as the pace of space threats are picking up speed as well as continuously manifesting themselves in different ways. “Those two things have really aligned us in the U.K. to accelerate our approach,” Air Marshal Smyth explained. “It’s also fair to say that we would not have been able to accelerate that approach had it not have been for the dialogue with the U.S. We’ve been very grateful for that clear partnership of bilateral and multilateral…space ops initiatives.”

But the gratitude of these multilateral partnerships is not just directed towards the U.S. from its allies. According to Lt. Gen. Guetlein, the conflict in Ukraine has served as a reminder to him of the critical importance of international partnerships in the space domain. “I would say going into Ukraine, we probably were not thinking about coalitions as much as we possibly should,” he said. “I will tell you though, now that we’re fully ingrained in that conflict, it all becomes about coalitions. And what we do know going forward, especially in the space domain, is that we can’t do it alone.”

He went on to say that the U.S. must continue to leverage allied partnerships in order to stay one step ahead of its adversaries. “If I look at what is the U.S.’ competitive advantage, it’s our partnerships,” he explained.

As it pertains to space, the competitive advantage of allied partnerships comes in many forms. For Lt. Gen. Kenny, allied coalitions represent a monumental opportunity to bring together and share joint space capabilities.

“We need to work together as allies and partners,” he said. “From a Canadian perspective, one of the things that we’re focused on is what are some of the niche capabilities? What are some of the gaps that we can help fulfill, so that we’re not duplicating efforts, and that we’re building a more resilient and proliferated orbit and capability that can allow us to conduct operations worldwide, as allies and partners?”

Tackling the space threat together
For Lt. Gen. Guetlein, the founding of the Space Force has created many different avenues for tackling the space threat alongside U.S. allies. “[Space] is not new for the U.S.,” he said. “What is new for the U.S. is…we are actually talking about the threat [with allies] at levels that I was never allowed to talk about my entire career, and we’re doing it openly in the public…[The dialogue] is no longer ‘what can you give me.’ It is ‘what can we each provide, in a certain synergistic effect to get after the space threat.’”

Air Marshal Smyth agreed with Lt. Gen. Guetlein by saying that the open dialogue between the allied nations has benefited an international, integrated deterrence in the space domain. “We’ve seen the doors open from the U.S.,” he explained. “We’re delivering more together and building a coalition so that a potential adversary doesn’t see the world through the lens of ‘it’s us versus another country’…But they see it as ‘us versus everyone else.’ That in itself is a very deterrent position to be in.”

Lt. Gen. Guetlein agreed that the more aligned the U.S. and her allies are on the topics of space values, responsible behavior in the domain, as well as deterrence, it sends a very strong signal to the coalition’s adversaries. “Our competitors are not operating responsibly nor safely in space,” he explained. “But we are. We’ve got to continue to keep sending that signal…They may be able to take on one of us at a time, but they cannot take on all of us at once.”

To learn more about this year’s Air, Space, & Cyber Conference, click HERE.

The post “Delivering More Together” – U.S. and Allied Space Leaders Highlight Importance of Joint Coalitions at AFA 2023 appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Gen. Whitney, who serves as Military Deputy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, believes that this additional second appointment highlights the importance the federal government is placing on “the space problem,” with acquisition being the clear pathway to the U.S. gaining a strategic edge over near-peer, space race competitors.

During a session on “Accelerating Space Acquisition” at last month’s AFA Air, Space, and Cyber Conference, Frank Calvelli, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (ASAF/SQ), Dr. Kelly Hammett, Director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office, and Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Purdy, PEO of Assured Access to Space, joined Gen. Whitney to examine the current status of space acquisition within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), outline their space acquisition priorities as it pertains to each of their stations, as well as discuss how commercial industry can assist in propelling the U.S. ahead of its adversaries in the space domain.

Is speed King?
Though Calvelli is still settling into his new position as the first ASAF/SQ, there is no doubt that he already has a solid and clear vision for space acquisition within the Air Force. According to Calvelli, his three main priorities for the department’s space acquisition initiatives are speed, resiliency, and integration.

During the AFA session, Calvelli explained, “Speed in our acquisitions enables us to deliver new capabilities to our warfighters faster. Resiliency in our space architecture makes sure that space can be counted on during times of crisis and conflict. And integrating space with other warfighting domains supports our operational imperatives in the Department to give our warfighters a strategic edge.”

To achieve speed, Calvelli explained that the Department should begin focusing on building smaller spacecrafts, rather than giant assets that can take many years to produce. “Building smaller spacecraft can be done faster. It’s just a matter of physics. Going smaller and more manageable…are key enablers to speed.” He also suggested looking into cutting down on one-time, engineering costs by using existing technology and designs.

“If we build smaller, reduce non-recurring engineering, and execute our plans [on schedule], there’s nothing that can stop us,” said Calvelli.

For Dr. Hammett, his acquisition priorities are focus and alignment. Building off Calvelli’s comments on speed, Dr. Hammett took it a step further by saying, “Speed is not King…Velocity is King, because velocity is speed with direction.” According to Dr. Hammett, having a competent workforce that is focused on the same purpose and mission will also accelerate space acquisition. “If we’re all pulling in the same direction with the same unity of effort and purpose, we can go fast,” said Dr. Hammett.

For Gen. Whitney, his priority is delivering on capabilities, while simultaneously building relationships with other organizations. “You’ve heard a lot of talk…about how we play together with different entities, how the space side plays with the air side, and how we work together in different programs,” said Gen. Whitney. “We’ve got to get those right, and we’ve got to be able to work together.”

Commercial space and the adversary
A common theme that was echoed throughout the AFA conference is the growing threat China poses in the space domain. For Calvelli, the commercial space industry is a resource that the DoD must leverage to counteract our adversaries’ advancements, but delivery schedules need to be drastically reduced from the traditionally drawn out, multi-year contracts.

“We really, truly have a threat from China,” explained Calvelli. “If we really want to go fast, we have got to stop the traditional way of doing satellites with these large, seven-year plus contracts and go to smaller, more proliferated systems, whether they be at MEO, LEO, or even at GEO.”

He added, “So my message to industry is please bid on programs with realistic cost and realistic schedules. And please bid on programs that you can be successful with. And then when you win that contract, execute, and deliver those programs on-cost and on-schedule. That is going to be key to all of our success as a nation and to counter the threat against China.”

For Gen. Purdy, before the commercial space industry can assist the fight against U.S. adversaries, it must first fully understand the DoD’s needs and work towards developing capabilities and solutions that are mission-specific. “What I really need is for industry to understand where our systems are, what our needs are, and how you can plug into those needs in a non-proprietary way so that we can continue to move along [without] having to go buy licenses from here to eternity,” he said.

Gen. Whitney echoed Gen. Purdy by addressing the commercial space industry directly, “Industry, we need you to deliver on your commitments. Nothing will set us up for success more than you delivering on your commitments.”

Looking to 2023
Before addressing what is coming down the space acquisition pipeline in 2023, Calvelli wanted to first acknowledge and express that he is happily surprised by the pivot and the architecture changes that the U.S. Space Force has already started. “They have done an absolute magnificent job of getting to more of a hybrid architecture that includes more proliferated systems, more smaller systems, some larger systems, and a much more resilient architecture,” said Calvelli.

“For me, the focus of next year is executing and actually making sure that we deliver on the great set of work that’s been done in the past couple of years by the Department and by the Space Force…Execution is really a key thing for us this next year,” he said.

To learn more about Frank Calvelli’s space acquisition priorities and the role the commercial space industry will play in delivering upon his priorities, click HERE.

The post Top Air Force officials outline current space acquisition priorities at AFA 2022 appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

But why is there such a significant focus on satellite architecture resiliency that it’s one of the Space Force’s largest priorities for the coming year? One only has to look at some of the recent events involving satellite communications in Europe for an answer.

Today’s advanced military platforms and systems are all network and software enabled. These systems require connectivity to function as intended and meet warfighter requirements. And satellite is the best way to provide that connectivity in geographic locations where terrestrial networks are either denied, degraded, untrusted, or insecure – like many of the places where the military operates.

But satellite communications (SATCOM) deliver more than advanced IT capabilities to the warfighter. SATCOM is instrumental for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and situational awareness. It’s also the main conduit for basic communications services in austere environments.

By distributing military signals over a wide ecosystem of military and commercial satellite resources, it becomes incredibly difficult for adversaries to identify which satellites are carrying military communications and deny them through jamming or kinetic attack.

The near-peer adversaries that America and its coalition partners are confronted with today know that satellite is fundamental and mission-critical for so many military operations. And they’ll do anything to deny access to the satellite services that are both basic necessity and force-multiplier.

We’ve seen this play out in real-time in the current situation in Eastern Europe. As fighting began, one of the first casualties was connectivity and communications from terrestrial networks. Then, the satellite service that was utilized to fill that communications void was almost immediately denied by the adversary.

Regardless of whether this communications disruption was meant to hinder military communications, capabilities, and coordination – or simply to cause confusion and a lack of reliable information for civilians – is secondary. It is evidence that denying satellite communications networks and infrastructure is now a large part of warfare – and will remain so into the future. This is why the military now considers space an austere environment and a warfighting domain.

Augmenting military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) with commercial satellite communications (COMSATCOM) has long been considered a solution for increasing resiliency. By distributing military signals over a wide ecosystem of military and commercial satellite resources, it becomes incredibly difficult for adversaries to identify which satellites are carrying military communications and deny them through jamming or kinetic attack.

Today’s advanced military platforms and systems are all network and software enabled. These systems require connectivity to function as intended and meet warfighter requirements. And satellite is the best way to provide that connectivity…

But what about coalition partners and allied nations with no readily available, purpose-built MILSATCOM architecture? How can they get immediate access to resilient, military-grade satellite communications should a threat arise?

These are exactly the types of situations that a new generation of commercial X-band satellite solutions was made for.

X-band on demand
X-band and military Ka-band satellite communications have long been trusted by the U.S. Department of Defense because of their reliability and resilience. As Patti Aston, a Senior Director at SES Space and Defense, recently explained to the Government Satellite Report, “…X-band [is] considered more reliable – or more mission-assured for critical operations. And when the lives of tactical operators and warfighters are on the line, the military doesn’t want to take the chance that there could be interference or signal loss.”

Access to commercially-delivered X-band and military Ka-band satellite capacity has increased more recently with the introduction of services like tactiXs – an end-to-end managed service that delivers secure, non-preemptible X-band capabilities to customers on an on-demand basis.

These managed services enable governments and militaries without existing, purpose-built military satellite resources to quickly and easily gain access to resilient, reliable X-band and military Ka-band satellite communications at a moment’s notice. There is no special or proprietary hardware necessary to access the service, and no ground infrastructure necessary.  COTS X-band terminals are used to gain access.  Governments and militaries can simply acquire the satellite services they need – for a specified period of time or for a prescribed amount of data throughput – and begin using them immediately.

The near-peer adversaries that America and its coalition partners are confronted with today know that satellite is fundamental and mission-critical for so many military operations. And they’ll do anything to deny access to the satellite services that are both basic necessity and force-multiplier.

“[tactiXs] gives the military user tremendous flexibility and agility. They now have on-demand access to X-band capabilities on an as-needed basis. And they don’t have to buy the capacity on a long-term basis,” Aston explained. “Since [tactiXs] is a managed service, they also don’t have to provide the ground infrastructure. The ground stations and teleports – everything necessary to enable access – is provided for them.”

Resilient SATCOM is as essential to today’s military as any weapons system or platform being issued to – or deployed with – the warfighter. It provides the connectivity for next-generation, network-enabled systems. It enables ISR and situational awareness. And it becomes the backbone of even the most basic of communications services when terrestrial networks are denied.

Commercial X-band managed services can ensure that the connectivity governments and militaries need is available immediately. They also can deliver the resiliency and reliability necessary for mission-critical communications.

For additional information on tactiXs, click HERE.

The post Commercial X-Band Managed Services the Key to On-Demand Resilient Comms appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Throughout the symposium, the space domain took center stage in panel discussions about the U.S. Space Force’s plan to move forward in modernizing and digitally transforming its network architecture and systems, in order to establish freedom of action in the space domain, while simultaneously being able to deny the same freedom to our adversaries.

In one specific session, “Airmen and Guardians in the Fight,” Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, Chief of Space Operations at the U.S. Space Force, outlined the requirements and measures that would need to be taken to accelerate the change that will lead to U.S. superiority in the space domain.

According to Gen. Raymond, the keys to moving with and innovating at the speed of the ever-changing space race include leveraging the “explosion” of innovation that is coming out of the commercial industry and deploying a new, resilient space architecture that would put the U.S. in an advantageous position over its adversaries.

Commercial industry would strengthen defense industrial base

According to Gen. Raymond, to deliver advanced, military relevant capabilities at speed, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) must begin strengthening its ties with the commercial industry and relying more on the technological advancements and innovations that are coming out of the private sector.

“I think there’s great advantage with commercial industry,” said Gen. Raymond. “There’s been an explosion of business going on…We want to be able to leverage them.”

“The big focus area for us this year…is shifting our space architecture to a new, more resilient architecture by the design of the force.” – Gen. Raymond.

Quoting last November’s State of the Space Industrial Base 2021 report, Gen. Raymond stated that the industrial base is “tactically strong but strategically fragile.” To combat the “fragile” state of the space domain’s industrial base, he believes that the DoD should embrace the opportunities the private sector presents to the military and expand the industrial base to more innovative players. Doing so would provide the modern and effective systems, capabilities, and approaches that are required in delivering space superiority for the U.S.

Gen. Raymond recognizes that the role of the space domain has drastically changed since he began his career. Previously viewed as a benign arena, he explained that space is now “the most dynamic and complex security environment in three generations.”

Near-peer competitors like China have spent more than three decades building a space warfighting architecture that has the same advantageous capabilities that the U.S. employs today. “They built it for a purpose,” Gen. Raymond emphasized. “That coupled with the spectrum of threats that we’re seeing from low-end, reversible jamming to high-end kinetic destruction, it’s a different domain. And it requires a different approach.”

The private sector has already created the solutions and capabilities the military needs to protect and secure American assets in space. With near-peer competitors being close to outpacing U.S. capabilities in the domain, relying on the commercial industry would better prepare and position the military with solutions and systems that would defend against the innovations and advancements of our adversaries.

The path to a resilient space architecture

In the past few months, Gen. Raymond has expressed that 2022 is going to be the year of the resilient space architecture for the Space Force – a sentiment he also echoed at the AFA panel. “The big focus area for us this year, and for the next decade, is shifting our space architecture to a new, more resilient architecture by the design of the force,” said Gen. Raymond.

“Our joint coalition forces require the space capabilities that we provide. They can’t be treated as a given anymore.” – Gen. Raymond

“The capabilities that we have in space are exquisite. They’re small in numbers, and they’re not easily defendable. Our joint coalition forces require the space capabilities that we provide. They can’t be treated as a given anymore. We’re going to continue to provide those capabilities and do so in a way that’s more resilient.”

According to Gen. Raymond, warfighting is on the precipice of a major evolution. He emphasized that the U.S. is pitted against adversaries that have – if deterrence were to fail – incredible space capabilities for their own use. “As countries are developing capabilities to deny us our access to space, we can’t take it for granted,” said Gen. Raymond. “And you got to be able to protect and defend it.”

When the DoD invests time and money on the in-house design, testing, and deployment of limited, stovepipe solutions, adversaries who leverage their own nation’s commercial sector have the chance to surpass and deny the U.S. access to its systems and capabilities. Calling back to the need for commercial industry innovation and input, the federal government does not need to reinvent the wheel. The path to a resilient space architecture begins with turning to the existing capabilities and systems that private industry has already created.

Industry is waiting in the wings

The conversation around commercial space and satellite industries’ roles in supporting military innovation in the space domain is not just limited to Space Force leadership. In fact, Congress added a call in FY22’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires the DoD to report on its utilization of COMSATCOM services from non-geostationary orbits (NGSO) for delivering connectivity to the warfighter.

Though the NDAA directive doesn’t necessarily signal a heavier reliance on space industry leaders, it does acknowledge the unmistakably growing role that industry is playing in the defense and security of space as a warfighting domain.

In a recent interview with the Government Satellite Report, Gen. Curtis Michael Scaparrotti – a retired U.S. Army four-star general who served as the Commander of United States European Command – discussed how the innovation the commercial satellite industry is critical in building resilient network architectures.

“Commercial satellite providers are the engines of innovation, providing capabilities today and on the horizon that are quite promising,” said Gen. Scaparrotti. Speaking specifically about commercial satellite providers, Gen. Scaparrotti explained, “They are developing capabilities that reduce vulnerabilities and increase the resiliency of networks by positioning, numbers, and capabilities of systems, intra-satellite capabilities, and the flexibility of ground stations.”

Amit Katti, Principal Engineer at SES Space and Defense, shared Gen. Scaparrotti’s opinion in a recent interview about Hydra – SES Space and Defense’s new Common Operational Picture platform. “An integrated [COMSATCOM and MILSATCOM] architecture allows the military to leverage the investments the commercial sector has made in innovative technologies,” said Katti.

“Advanced commercial technologies have added benefits, including increased resilience to interference, jamming, or environmental effects, far more rapid resource allocation, improved situational awareness, and increased bandwidth utilization efficiencies.”

For additional information on how COMSATCOM capabilities can help make the military’s satellite architecture more resilient and capable, click HERE to download a complimentary copy of the whitepaper, “O3b mPOWER for U.S. Government Missions.”

The post Gen. Raymond: Leveraging commercial industry would deliver space superiority appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

As Gen. Goldfein explained, his vision for future multi-domain operations, “…isn’t just about the domains…nor is it just about executing operations across these domains, we already do that now. Where we’re going is to use dominance in one domain or many, blending a few capabilities or many, to produce multiple dilemmas for our adversaries in a way that will overwhelm them. This is where we’re going.”

On display in the video presentation was a fictional military situation being responded to by the military that Gen. Goldfein claimed we’d need in 2030 – and the force that he and his contemporaries are prepared to create for our nation. And, from my seat in the National Harbor’s Gaylord resort, it was certainly impressive.

The vignette illustrated an integrated and collaborative approach to multi-domain operations that showcased how sea, air, land, space and cyber operations – working collaboratively – could be pressed into service to quickly respond to escalating aggressions from an adversary and almost immediately repel a fictional invasion of an imaginary allied nation.

And while the vignette and presentation was impressive and aspirational, it was also frustrating for some in the room. That’s because, while it incorporated coalition forces in practically every domain, it was obviously missing something that the Air Force has claimed it would increasingly rely upon in the future – commercial satellites.

Why commercial satellite matters
While there are many things that commercial satellite services could deliver to the military, there are two specific benefits that I really consider the most important – innovation and resiliency. And both of those things could have been used by the fictional force in Gen. Goldfein’s vignette.

Air Force senior leadership has admitted on numerous occasions that the commercial satellite industry is the clear leader in space today. It’s the leader because it moves quickly and must satiate the world’s enormous appetite for satellite capacity.

Commercial satellite providers are constantly building and launching new satellites to replace aging spacecraft and to fill the capacity requirements of their customers. With the nearly constant and rapid pace of satellite development, construction and launch, the commercial satellite industry gets frequent opportunities to incorporate the latest and greatest technology advancements into their satellites.

Compare this to how the military has traditionally operated. The military has been building and launching similar WGS satellites for a decade. And the time it takes the military to design, develop, build and launch a new satellite means that, by the time they launch a new satellite, the technologies on it are no longer cutting edge.

When it comes to resiliency, commercial satellite providers have been long fighting against the misconception that their services are in some way less resilient and secure than military satellites. And there is a good reason why that misconception exists, there are demonstrated benefits to operating in the X band frequency, as satellite expert, Phil Harlow, recently articulated in another article on the Government Satellite Report:

“With only ten [X band] WGS satellites in orbit, there is less chance of adjacent satellite interference. This means that more power can be put down from each satellite without fear of interfering with other, adjacent satellites (or being interfered with by other satellites). This higher power results in a stronger signal on the ground that further overcomes attenuation from environmental factors, increases throughputs and improves link reliability.”

However, the small number of WGS satellites creates a resiliency problem itself. If a near-peer adversary is looking to deny the military’s satellite services – which have long been a strategic edge for our military – they only have ten potential satellites to target.

This lack of diversity makes it easier for enemies to target and deny satellite capabilities, which is why Kimberly Morris, satellite communications operations division head at the U.S. Naval Network Warfare Command recently called for an increase in satellite options when she said, “We need diversity – we need a wide range of diversity,” at this summer’s Milsatcom USA Conference.

By utilizing commercial satellites in conjunction with military satellites, the ecosystem of potential satellites that could be carrying military signals increases from ten to more than 150. This not only can help disrupt an adversary’s targeting calculus, but also provide back-ups should military satellites be denied. As Morris said at the same event, “You go after our [military-owned] systems, I’ve got something else that I can get to. Historically, with a lot of the weapon systems that are brought to bear in the modern age, it’s not the primary system that has been a hero, it’s the secondary system, because the enemy puts so much effort into taking out that primary system.”

With the potential to increase resiliency and bring new, innovative solutions to bear, it’s clear that commercial satellite needs to be a part of military plans in the future. So why wasn’t it in the vignette? Especially since it could have been so beneficial?

What could have been – and what will be
During Gen. Goldfein’s vignette, the two coalition military satellites being relied upon for communications in every other domain were jammed by adversary space assets. The response of the coalition forces in the vignette were to bomb targets deep in enemy territory and relocate military spacecraft – which is an extremely time-consuming and risky response.

How would that have played out if this futuristic force was utilizing a combined commercial and military satellite architecture?

First, the adversary would have struggled mightily to target the correct satellites. Today’s commercial satellite industry operates innovative new satellites in more orbits than just the traditional geostationary orbit. With more than 150 satellites in multiple different orbits – including GEO, MEO and LEO – that could have been transmitting military communications in theater, the adversary would have struggled mightily to identify which satellite to target for jamming or even kinetic attacks.

Should the adversary jammed or denied the correct satellites, the coalition forces in the vignette would have had an even easier, far less risky response should they have been using an integrated commercial and military satellite architecture. They simply could have relocated a digitally-steered beam from a different commercial satellite – possibly even one in a different orbit – to deliver high-throughput, low-latency connectivity to the battlefield.

No jets would have needed to be scrambled, no military satellites would have needed to expend precious fuel to be repositioned, and no pilots’ lives would have needed to be risked.

This is why Ken Peterman, the President of Government Systems at Viasat recently told attendees at a panel discussion during SATELLITE 2019 that, “…within government circles, support continues to build for a DoD, hybrid, multi-network adaptive enterprise so that the DoD has the improved resiliency, improved mobility and improved flexibility to take full advantage of commercial innovation.”

So, where do we stand with that “hybrid, multi-network adaptive enterprise,” or integrated commercial and military satellite architecture? I asked Gen. John Raymond, the Commander of United States Space Command, during a media roundtable at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference, and he assured us that it’s still on the table – even if it’s not in vignettes.

When asked about the potential to utilize satellites of different sizes and in different orbits, General Raymond responded, “I think what we’ll see in the future is a more hybrid architecture which would provide us with more resiliency.“ And adding commercial satellite to the military’s network architecture and infrastructure was also a priority for Gen. Raymond moving forward.

When asked about the timing and roadmap towards this combined architecture, the General responded, “[The Air Force] had several meetings with the commercial industry to partner with them on a vision going forward. I expect to publish a vision document towards that end in the coming months. We’re here to work with industry and I think that the relationships that we have and that were provided to us by the National Defense Authorization Act will provide us great advantage.”

Both the military and the satellite industry see the potential that an integrated commercial and military satellite architecture could have for our nation’s multi-domain operations in the future. If we’re going to truly win the battle for space and utilize satellites as part of a military response that will, “produce multiple dilemmas for our adversaries in a way that will overwhelm them,” then commercial satellite needs to be an integral part of the Air Force’s plans now and into the future.

Featured image courtesy of the Air Force Association.

The post AFA Conference makes it clear – integrated satellite architecture essential for multi-domain ops appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Now, with the potential for another government shutdown and sequestration on the horizon, the mood at this year’s conference felt heavy. The focus of many discussions was trained on the impact that reduced budgets were having on Air Force acquisitions, civilian and enlisted pilots and planning for the next fiscal year and beyond.

The budget uncertainty and potential for impending sequestration has a significant impact on the Air Force’s ability to plan and execute on new space and satellite initiatives. According to General John Hyten, the Commander of the Air Force Space Command, “It puts us at a lower funding level than we would be at otherwise…We have some significant space recommendations in the FY16 President’s budget – many of which are classified…we won’t be able to get started on those. All of that stuff just gets put on hold.”

Aside from delaying the start of projects and initiatives, the budget uncertainty also has the Air Force looking for more cost effective and efficient ways to acquire necessary products and services – including COMSATCOM services. During a media roundtable, General Hyten discussed the need to reevaluate how these solutions are acquired and paid for as a way to drive cost efficiencies and decrease spending.

According to General Hyten, “[The commercial satellite] Industry has a lot of new capabilities we can take advantage of. The question is, how do we acquire them? Do we buy that? Do we enter into long term leases? We’re working with OSD and with Congress right now to get somebody to put together that integrated approach to make sure we acquire [these services] in the most effective and efficient way possible to give our warfighters the bandwidth they need.”

The need to reevaluate the acquisition process for COMSATCOM solutions is one that we hear echoed frequently by private industry, military decision makers and even members of Congress – including Representative Jim Bridenstine and Representative Rob Wittman. Today, the military acquires these services in an ad-hoc, piecemeal fashion, as they are needed. This eliminates the ability to take advantage of efficiencies of scale by purchasing these solutions – collaboratively – in advance and in larger quantity. This also leaves the military susceptible to not having COMSATCOM capacity available, since satellite capacity is often sold on a, “First come, first served,” basis.

In addition to changing how these services are acquired, the Air Force is also exploring other commercial satellite offerings that could deliver the bandwidth necessary for missions at a much lower price. According to General Hawk Carlisle, “a lot of [information] passes over commercial comms systems. We pay for that out of our budget, and it’s not cheap. There’s other ways to do that. Inclined satellites are one of them. Hosted payloads is another one. There are a number of different ways. But we’re trying to make that less expensive.”

As we’ve discussed in previous posts on the GovSat Report, inclined satellites are older geostationary satellites that are near their end of life. To save fuel, they’re allowed to drift outside of their established area in a north/south direction. Capacity on these satellites is often significantly cheaper, and their utilization is much lower, making capacity readily available for government users.

Hosted payloads also enable cost savings and efficiencies, but in a much different way. Hosted payloads are payloads that the government can mount on a commercial satellite to essentially, “Hitch a ride,” to space. Although the payload is owned by the government, the satellite that it resides on is owned and operated by that COMSATCOM provider. This drastically reduces the cost to put a payload in space, since the cost of launch and operations is shared between multiple parties.

As General Hyten confirmed, COMSATCOM remains an essential part of delivering information and bandwidth to the tip of the spear. However, the budget environment is making all expenditures and programs – regardless of their importance to the mission and the warfighter – uncertain and difficult to finance. By working to change how the military acquires COMSATCOM solutions, embracing alternative – and less expensive – routes into space and adopting lower-priced COMSATCOM solutions, such as inclined satellites, the Air Force can ensure essential COMSATCOM services are available even if budget dollars aren’t.

For additional information on hosted payloads, their benefits to the federal government and how they can provide economical access to space for government agencies and branches of the military, download the SES hosted payload white paper by clicking HERE.

The post Budget issues and the need to acquire SATCOM more efficiently dominate discussion at 2015 Air & Space Conference appeared first on SES Space and Defense.