The Air Force’s top two space officials told lawmakers March 12 that development of a “space cadre” was one of their top agenda items for national security space programs in 2004.
Undersecretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets and Gen. Lance W. Lord, commander of Air Force Space Command, also told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee of their goal to fully integrate space capabilities for warfighting and national intelligence.
According to Teets, who is also the director of the National Reconnaissance Office, there are similarities between intelligence-collection activities and warfighting needs. Among them is the Space Based Infrared System High, which will replace the veteran Defense Support Program platform for early-missile-warning protection.
“SBIRS High will have two very highly capable infrared sensors (to) collect large amounts of information useful to the intelligence community,” he said in written testimony. “In addition, it will significantly contribute to the theater ballistic missile warning system.”
Teets said it is important to integrate the NRO’s constellation of satellites with Air Force space assets to get the most important information to commanders quickly. While the number of agencies with access to the NRO’s information has grown over the years to include multiple government agencies, that effort is not enough.
“We need to do more,” he said. “Our goals for improved integration include providing communications, environmental sensing and precise position and timing information to support a ‘common operational picture’ of the battle space.”
Teets said another goal to help collect crucial warfighting information is to facilitate “cross-platform command, control and communications.”
To make all these systems and programs work to peak efficiency requires a team of space professionals — a space cadre, Teets said. To that end, Lord is developing the Air Force’s “Space Professional Strategy.”
“As our nation’s dependence on space continues to grow, the Air Force must meet the challenge of developing the right people to acquire, operate and employ military space capabilities,” the general said. “A strong, proactive space professional development program is essential to safeguarding our nation’s leadership position in space and our way of developing airmen.”
Lord said the strategy focuses on space professional development by providing a blueprint for addressing the training, education and experience needs of space professionals. In addition, it recognizes the varied disciplines required of the entire space team – from a system’s concept to its employment.
“We have been actively refining this strategy,” Lord said. “(This year) we’ve begun the harder task of implementing the initiatives. Given the importance and complexity of professional development, this is a long-term commitment, but it’s the right thing to do – for our mission and our country.
“We have the best space and missile operators and acquirers in the world, and we will continue to improve on that standard of excellence,” he said.
As the strategy takes shape, Teets said, the Air Force has been active in attracting and retaining top space talent. Among the initiatives are the critical skills retention bonus to scientists and engineers and incorporating a joint Naval Postgraduate School/Air Force Institute of Technology program which allows space professionals to receive graduate-level education.
According to Teets, the space cadre will not be exclusively blue-suit.
“These efforts are not and must not be limited to just Air Force members,” Teets said. “We need space professionals in all services and agencies … to exploit space effectively in the interests of national security.”
