The Space Force is pursuing expanded partnerships with allied nations to increase space defense capabilities and its commercial partnerships, the Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein said on Aug. 28 at the 2024 AFCEA/INSA Intelligence & National Security Summit.
Historically, the Space Force, founded in 2019, has been insular – but a constrained budget and an increasingly urgent need for heightened defense systems has left the branch unable to “go it alone.”
Examples of the Space Force’s joint Federal partnerships include the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the Space Command. It also includes the Space Force Commercial Space Strategy, which “guides the integration of commercial space solutions to deliver technological innovations” that supplant or supplement government capabilities.
“What has become abundantly clear to us is that the adversary has been watching us for the past 20-plus years,” said Guetlein.
“They’ve been studying the way our economy works, our way of life, and they have not only become very intent on denying our ability to use space, but they’ve become very capable at it as well, and that right there enough should be enough alarm that we all start paying attention,” he continued, saying that it is “even worse” that adversarial countries operate in a “very unsafe and unprofessional manner.”
Guetlein said that while the U.S. has the advantage in space defense capabilities, other countries are “working really hard to narrow that gap,” saying that resiliency is key. However, he added that capabilities are reliant on budget expansion, echoing earlier sentiments delivered days earlier by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.
The Space Force’s fiscal year 2025 budget request is slightly less than $30 billion, largely due to limitations implemented by the Fiscal Responsibility Act which places a cap on defense spending.
“I can no longer solely rely on the kit that I own and operate, I now have to partner, and that is completely changing our culture and capability,” said Guetlein. “We are spending a lot of time under resiliency to try and change our culture, build our partnerships, and become more proliferated and to minimize our attack surface because there are so many of us now partnering in an integrated network together.”
Jointly developed technologies capable of protecting satellites and responding to attacks on space networks are the focuses of partnerships the Space Force is pursuing, Guetlein said.
“I think the partnerships that we have today in space are some of the best of breed across the federal government, and the best I’ve ever seen in my career,” said Guetlein.
However, security and data classification have added challenges to the partnerships. Guetlein said that efforts are underway to improve data sharing, starting with unclassified space domain awareness data shared in a data lake among international partners. Efforts also include an initiative to lower classification levels for space systems, which would allow broader discussions with international partners on previously restricted topics.
Domestically, Guetlein said that the Space Force has been focusing on mapping terrain to understand the entire communication and control network for its satellites. Part of this effort includes sending seven guardians – Space Force personnel – to the new Joint Mission Management Center (JMMC) to assist in developing future strategies for data sharing and collaboration.
Some of the Space Force’s international collaborations include developing deep space radars with Australia and the U.K. through the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability project and installing a half-meter class telescope at Cerro Moreno Air Base in Chile to improve space domain awareness.
