Space situational awareness (SSA) data sharing involving the Defense Department hit an all-time high in 2015, according to a key official.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space, Strategic and Intelligence Systems John McNellis said Friday DoD has negotiated sharing agreements with 51 commercial entities, two intergovernmental organizations and 10 nations. It is also in the process of negotiating additional agreements, McNellis said.
DoD is investing in SSA as key part of its Third Offset Strategy, an effort to maintain the military’s competitive edge and prevent technological erosion. DoD is investing in SAA capabilities as McNellis said its ability to freely use over 100 military and intelligence satellites in orbit is diminishing as the space environment becomes more congested and more contested.
McNellis said the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center (JICSpOC) at Schierever AFB, Colo., is part of the Third Offset, which he said is also part of the Better Buying Power (BBP) acquisition reform effort. He said JICSpOC is focusing on space defense and is developing new space system operational concepts, tactics, techniques and procedures in support of both DoD and the intelligence community (IC).
McNellis said JICSpOC is providing a field of experimentation to look at the best technologies coming out of both commercial and “classic” defense industry companies. He said this experimentation began in October. McNellis and his boss, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L) Frank Kendall, visited the JICSpOC three weeks ago.
McNellis joined DoD on March 11, coming over from L-3 Communications [LLL], where he was corporate senior vice president and president within the company’s aerospace systems group. McNellis’ remarks came at a Peter Huessy breakfast series event on Capitol Hill.