Space Force working on future operations plan to guide investment

AFA 2025 — The Space Force is planning for operations up to 15 years in the future based on expected adversary developments as a foundation for investment, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said today.

“Delivering today’s systems is critical, but we’re also building the architecture of the future and making sure we’re prepared for what our adversaries might do next. A small team of planners and strategists have been focused on our five-year, 10-year and 15-year plans so we know where to invest to stay ahead,” he told the annual Air and Space Force Association conference in National Harbor, Md.

“To do this, we look closely at what our adversaries can do today and what we expect them to be able to do in the future. The combination of this analysis, intelligence and strategy will be formally captured in a document called the Future Operating Environment, which will serve as an authoritative source for requirements planning,” Saltzman said.

“The Future Operating Environment is going to be an important document for us,” he told reporters in a roundtable after his speech.

He explained that the conceptual foundation of the document is focused on three separate questions:

1. what missions the Space Force is being tapped to perform now and in the future, and what missions, if any, might they need to relinquish;
2. what is the threat environment now and what will it look like in five, 10 and 15 years down the road; and
3. “what technologies are progressing” that might provide the Space Force an advantage or vice versa provide advantage to adversaries?

Saltzman told reporters that he hopes to publish both an unclassified and classified version of the Future Operating Environment in order to ensure a wide circulation — if possible by the end of the year, although he said his priority is to get the first one right rather than move it out too quickly.

The future requirement plan, in turn, will allow the service to “design and publish our objective force,” which he explained is “the what, when and how many for space systems, support structures and manpower — all of the elements of a combat-credible force.” This process not only will “provide clarity” to the Space Force on “mission requirements and resources,” it also will help the service inform industry on its present and future needs, he added.

Saltzman’s address largely focused on issues related to Space Force acquisition — an issue of keen interest to the service’s congressional overseers.

“Acquisitions and sustainment are not just support functions. They’re a war fighting imperative,” he said. “Right now, as I see it, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revolutionize how we develop and deliver the space systems our nation needs, and because of this opportunity, I’m here to tell you the Space Force stands postured to take decisive action.”

As one example, Saltzman noted that the Space Force has rebranded the Space Systems Command’s “Front Door” website portal to reflect the enlargement of its operations.

“We’ve just relaunched it as the ‘Space Force Front Door,’ building on past success to gather innovative ideas from industry. Your concepts are now vetted against the needs of the organizations, beyond just SSC, including all Space Force equities, broader department needs, other government agencies and even allies. If it’s a good match, we’ll connect you with the right office to see where your great ideas might enable our mission,” he said.

Saltzman also elaborated on how the service is building its acquisition workforce and training Guardians to oversee how the service spends its “nearly $23 billion” fiscal 2025 budget, with a focus on speeding capability to warfighters in the joint force.

This issue of how much priority the service has been putting on acquisition competence has been a sore point among some in Congress, including the powerful chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mike Rogers, R.-Ala., and ranking member Rep. Adam Smith, D.-Wash. 

“I’ve had multiple engagements this summer on Capitol Hill about funding, staffing, training for the acquisition workforce,” Saltzman said.

“Developing and delivering space war fighting capability is a vital part of our DNA as a service. The time has come for us to focus on enhancing the speed and effectiveness of our deliveries, because if we fall behind and Joint Force and the nation will feel the consequences,” he stressed.