The AEI paper, authored by Senior Fellow Todd Harrison, recommends ditching the standup of Space Futures Command and creating a new organizational structure that combines acquisition and operational functions around mission areas.
In a new letter obtained by Breaking Defense, the top two HASC members write to Gen. Saltzman that "We fear a divide that elevates operators at the detriment to other core functions of the Space Force will have negative impacts, potentially not immediately, but as we look to 2030 and beyond."
Breaking Defense Europe will launch May 4 with Tim Martin and Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo as co-editors.
"The integration testing continues to go well," Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant told reporters at the Space Force Association's Spacepower 2024 conference in Orlando, Fla. — expressing optimism that ATLAS will meet his expectations for achieving operational capability by the end of next year.
Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant told Breaking Defense that the long-troubled effort to upgrade the C2 system for space domain awareness is making progress — with the ATLAS software due to become operational "at the end of next year."
"We have to have models that allow us to meet 24/7, mission requirements while simultaneously surging to the needs and demands of combatant commanders," Lt. Gen. David Miller said.
"In the next few months, you can look for missile warning and space domain awareness as two mission areas [to be restructured], and then in the future satellite communications, for example, and then orbital warfare," Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, told the Mitchell Institute today.
Government can’t stop to update systems, so modernization has to happen without interruptions.
The Space Force's Delta 3 is responsible for organizing, training and equipping Guardians for electronic warfare missions involving satellite communications, as well as sustaining related offensive and defensive EW systems.
New SpoC head Lt. Gen. David Miller said decisions about new Integrated Mission Deltas are expected "in the coming weeks."
CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman said that the service is already looking at "criteria and processes" for future changes to integrate operations and sustainment, and better align with acquisition efforts.
The Defense Business Board study, however, recommends against folding the NRO and MDA into the Space Force.
As missions stretch farther and comms grow less reliable, predictive software could become the edge that keeps missions afloat.