Department of Defense
Report to Congressional Defense Committees

Final Report on Organizational and Management Structure
for the National Security Space Components of the
Department of Defense
August 9, 2018

The estimated cost of this report for the Department of Defense isapproximately $219,000 in Fiscal Year 2018. This includes $11,000 in
expenses and $207,000 in DoD labor.
Generated on August 8, 2018 RefID: F-99E2A58

Page 1 of 15

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, Public Law 115-91
SEC. 1601. SPACE ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT.
(c) REVIEW OF STRUCTURE.—(1) REVIEW.—The Deputy Secretary of Defense shall conduct a review and identify arecommended organizational and management structure for the national security spacecomponents of the Department of Defense, including the Air Force Space Command, that
implements the organizational policy guidance expressed in this section and the amendments
made by this section.
(2) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2018, the Deputy Secretary of Defense
shall submit to the congressional defense committees an interim report on the review andrecommended organizational and management structure for the national security spacecomponents of the Department of Defense, including the Air Force Space Command, underparagraph (1).
(3) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than August 1, 2018, the Deputy Secretary of Defense shallsubmit to the congressional defense committees a final report on the review and recommended
organizational and management structure for the national security space components of the
Department of Defense, including the Air Force Space Command, under paragraph (1),including—(A) a proposed implementation plan for how the Deputy Secretary would implement therecommendations;(B) recommendations for revisions to appointments and qualifications, duties and powers,
and precedent in the Department;(C) recommendations for such legislative and administrative action, including conforming
and other amendments to law, as the Deputy Secretary considers appropriate toimplement the plan; and(D) any other matters that the Deputy Secretary considers appropriate.
(4) PROHIBITION ON DELEGATION.—The Deputy Secretary of Defense may not delegate
the authority to carry out this subsection.

Page 2 of 15

REPORT REQUIREMENT
Pursuant to Section 1601(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year2018 (FY 2018), Public Law 115-91, this report follows the interim report submitted to thecongressional defense committees on March 1, 2018, and provides results of a review of theorganizational and management structure for the national security space components of the
Department of Defense (DoD).

INTRODUCTIONSpace is integral to the U.S. way of life, our national security, and modern warfare. Although
U.S. space systems have historically maintained a technological advantage over those of
potential adversaries, those potential adversaries are now actively developing ways to deny ouruse of space in a crisis. It is imperative that the United States adapts its policies, doctrine, andcapabilities to protect our interests. Towards that end, the Department of Defense will marshal
spaces resources into a Space Force. The Space Force will protect our economy throughdeterrence of malicious activities, ensure our space systems meet national security requirements,
and provide vital capabilities to joint and coalition forces across the spectrum of conflict.
Presidential leadership, congressional support, and Department of Defense focus have set theenvironment for dramatic improvement of our national space capabilities. The President has
articulated a compelling vision for a Space Force that protects the U.S. economy and way of life.
In his remarks at a meeting of the National Space Council on June 18, 2018, the President
directed “the Department of Defense and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary
to establish a Space Force as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces” that is separate from andequal to other branches. The Department of Defense will take immediate steps to implement the
President’s direction where authorities exist and seek legislation from Congress to realize thePresident’s vision.
The President’s National Security Strategy and the National Strategy for Space highlight thatspace is a strategic domain and the United States must maintain peace through strength in space.
The National Strategy for Space outlines four pillars for a unified approach to secure U.S. spaceleadership:Transform to more resilient space architectures,Strengthen deterrence and warfighting options,

Improve foundational capabilities, structure, and processes, and

Foster conducive domestic and international environments for space development.

Congress has also made its intent and support clear, providing direction and significant funding
to enhance national space capabilities.

Page 3 of 15

Establishing a sixth branch of the Armed Forces requires Congressional action. This reportoutlines immediate steps by the Department of Defense to protect U.S. vital interests in space,including:

Accelerate space technology and anchor development initiatives to the modernization
priorities outlined in the National Defense Strategy,Establish a Space Development Agency, a joint organization charged with rapidly
developing and fielding next-generation capabilities,Establish a Space Operations Force of career space experts who are trained, promoted
and retained as space warfighting professionals and who form a space community ofengineers, scientists, intelligence experts, operators, strategists and more,Establish an affordable and efficient operating structure with accountable civilian
oversight to provide service and support functions for the Space Force,Establish a new U.S. Space Command to improve and evolve space warfighting,including integrating innovative force designs, concepts of operation, doctrines, tactics,
techniques and procedures.

THE THREATThe United States faces rapidly growing threats to our space capabilities. China and Russia, ourstrategic competitors, are explicitly pursuing space warfighting capabilities to neutralize U.S.
space capabilities during a time of conflict. Other potential adversaries are also pursuingcounter-space capabilities such as jamming, dazzling, and cyber-attacks. In a May 11, 2017
Statement for the Record for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Director of
National Intelligence provided the following assessment of adversary space capabilities andintentions:“Russia and China perceive a need to offset any US military advantage derived from military,
civil, or commercial space systems and are increasingly considering attacks against satellite
systems as part of their future warfare doctrine. Both will continue to pursue a full range ofanti-satellite (ASAT) weapons as a means to reduce US military effectiveness.
“Some new Russian and Chinese ASAT weapons, including destructive systems, willprobably complete development in the next several years. … Both countries are advancing
directed energy weapons technologies for the purpose of fielding ASAT systems ... [and]continue to conduct sophisticated on-orbit satellite activities such as rendezvous andproximity operations, which are likely intended to test dual-use technologies with inherent
counterspace functionality.
“The global threat of electronic warfare (EW) attacks against space systems will expand in the
coming years in both number and types of weapons. Development will very likely focus on
jamming capabilities against dedicated military satellite communications (SATCOM),
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellites, and enhanced capabilities against Global

Page 4 of 15

Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), such as the US Global Positioning System (GPS).
Blending of EW and cyber-attack capabilities will likely expand in pursuit of sophisticatedmeans to deny and degrade information networks.”

STRATEGIC CONTEXTThe Department of Defense has two broad objectives in space:Protect U.S. vital interests in space – ensure unfettered access to, and freedom to operatein space, in order to advance America’s security, economic prosperity, and scientificknowledge; and

Deploy next-generation capabilities to support the warfighter.

The National Defense Strategy focuses on space as a warfighting domain and a modernization
priority. Space capabilities are foundational to other critical DoD modernization efforts
including:

Nuclear forces,

Cyberspace,Command, control, communications, computers and intelligence, surveillance, andreconnaissance (C4ISR),

Missile defense,

Joint lethality in contested environments,

Forward force maneuver and posture resilience,

Advanced autonomous systems, and

Resilient and agile logistics.

Furthermore, new space capabilities will unlock innovative operational concepts as the
Department anticipates the implications of new technology on the battlefield and enables
Dynamic Force Employment to increase U.S. flexibility and complicate adversary planning.

DOD SPACE VISION
DoD will usher in a new age of space technology and field new multi-domain systems in order todeter and if necessary degrade, deny, disrupt, destroy, and manipulate adversary capabilities toprotect U.S. interests, assets, and way of life. This new age will unlock growth in the U.S.
industrial base, expand the commercial space economy, and strengthen cooperation with ourallies and partners.

Page 5 of 15

To accomplish these goals, the Department will harness a blend of commercial and government
technology, rapid prototyping, experimentation, collaboration with key allies and partners, andenhanced government-commercial relationships.
Department capability development efforts will focus on:Persistent global surveillance for advanced missile targeting,

Indications, warning, targeting and tracking for defense against advanced missile threats,

Alternate positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) for a GPS-denied environment,

Global and near-real time space situational awareness,Development of deterrent capability,Responsive, resilient, common ground-based space support infrastructure (e.g., groundstations and launch capability),

Cross-domain, networked, node-independent battle management command, control, andcommunications (BMC3), including nuclear command, control, and communications(NC3), and

Highly-scaled, low-latency, persistent, artificial intelligence-enabled global surveillance.

SPACE FORCE
President Trump directed the establishment of a Space Force to better protect U.S. vital interests
in space. Like the other military branches, the Space Force will organize, train, and equip forces
to protect national security interests in the physical domain of space. The Space Force will
accelerate and unify the Department’s space efforts and enable the delivery of next-generation
space capabilities faster than potential adversaries can evolve. The Space Force will grow theworld’s most capable national security space workforce. These efforts set the foundation forgrowth, mission expansion, and service structure to meet man, train, and equip responsibilities.
ChangeEstablishing the Space Force will be multi-dimensional and phased. In this first phase, using
existing authorities, the Department of Defense will establish several of the component parts of
the Space Force. The second phase requires Congress to combine these components into thesixth branch of the Armed Forces. The Department of Defense is immediately pursuing four
components:Space Development Agency – capabilities development and fielding,Space Operations Force – developing space leaders and joint space warfighters,Services and Support – leadership and support structures, and

Space Command – developing Space Force warfighting operations to protect U.S.
national interests.

Page 6 of 15

First, DoD will establish a Space Development Agency to develop and field space capabilities at
speed and scale. The Air Force has already begun to transform its Space and Missile Center(SMC). The Department will accelerate and extend this transformation to all services bycreating a joint Space Development Agency.
Second, the Department will develop the Space Operations Force to support the CombatantCommands. These joint space warfighters will provide space expertise to combatantcommanders and the Space Development Agency, and surge expertise in time of crisis to ensurethat space capabilities are leveraged effectively in conflict.
Third, the Department will create the governance, services, and support functions of the Space
Force. Many of these will require changes to U.S. law. The Department will build a legislative
proposal for Congressional consideration as a part of the Fiscal Year 2020 budget cycle.
Fourth, the Department will create a U.S. Space Command, led by a four star general or flag
officer, to lead the use of space assets in warfighting and accelerate integration of spacecapabilities into other warfighting forces. U.S. Space Command will be responsible for directing
the employment of the Space Force.
Priorities
The Department is focused on aligning existing capabilities and accelerating new warfighting
capability. The Department will:Ensure unfettered access to, and freedom to operate in space,Improve space support to Combatant Commands,Center on speed and urgency, including scalability and development of breakthroughs,

Accelerate capacity and capability,

Leverage DoD-enterprise support and service functions such as recruiting, facilities
management, and medical rather than establishing redundant ones,Consolidate existing authorities for DOD space activities, and

Minimize duplication of effort and eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies.

TimingOutlined below are steps toward the Space Force that are within the Department’s current
authorities and will be taken in the coming months. A legislative proposal for the authorities
necessary to fully establish the Space Force as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces will be
submitted with the President’s Budget for FY 2020 to support Congressional consideration in the
FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

Page 7 of 15

SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
History demonstrates that strong technical competence and leadership, concentration of
resources, and abeyance of bureaucracy produce exceptional results. Examples include General
Bernard Schriever’s development of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Admiral
Hyman Rickover’s development of the Navy’s nuclear enterprise, the development of missile
defense through the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) and then the Missile
Defense Agency (MDA), and more recent models like the Joint IED Defeat Organization(JIEDDO).
ChangeTo achieve a similar breakthrough, the Department will:

Identify opportunities to move from dependence on a few independent assets to a
proliferated architecture enabled by lower-cost commercial space technology and access,

Shift from an acquisition organization and mindset to a development organization
focused on experimentation, prototyping, and accelerated fielding, and

Change from a matrixed and overlapping structure to a concentrated and decoupledstructure to generate speed.

The Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO) provides a model for the thinking, execution
style, reporting structure, and innovation required for creating warfighting dominance.
Similarly, the DoD Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) has delivered exceptional results inleveraging existing DoD technologies to rapidly field new capabilities. The Department will
create a Space Development Agency with similar style and intent to achieve the above describedchange.
Some existing space acquisition programs may remain in current service organizations, whichshould aggressively pursue improved performance, while the Space Development Agency
develops and fields the capabilities outlined in the DoD Space Vision. Resources will shift fromservice space acquisition organizations to the Space Development Agency as soon as practicable.
Priorities
In establishing the Space Development Agency, the priorities are:

Bold breakthroughs designed to obsolesce our competitors,Technology maturation and systems engineering,

Lean engineering, manufacturing, and support,Industrial base expansion,Streamlined development and acquisition process, and

Increased acquisition cooperation with the National Reconnaissance Office.

Page 8 of 15

The DoD Space vision is a family-of-systems. These systems must be engineered for simplified
growth, ease of integration and test, and continuous modernization. This will rely heavily on
engineering re-use, modularity, and spiraled functionality. Based on the evolution of capability,
the Space Development Agency will deploy a production system that has increasing volume,
standardization, and speed. The commercial space industry will have a greater role ascommercial and government entities “move toward the center” on requirements, regulation, andcompliance.
TimingToday the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) executes 85 percent of the
Department’s military space procurement budget, delivering missile warning; positioning,navigation, and timing; satellite communications; space situational awareness; and other vital
national security space capabilities.
In anticipation of major restructuring, the SMC conducted a year-long, comprehensive
assessment and redesign of its organization and processes. This assessment yielded a change tothe enterprise called “SMC 2.0”. SMC 2.0 drives innovation, speed, and affordability. It focusesinvestment in game-changing technologies, simplifies decision making and leverages
commercial partnerships in concert with rapid prototyping and experimentation. SMC 2.0 is thestart.
The formation of the Space Development Agency is predicated on the synergistic integration of
the current space development enterprise. Next steps include:Budget and program segmentation and overhead allocations (led by Comptroller and the
Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation),Streamline current operations to focus on execution (led by a senior SMC leader),

Ensure oversight, integration, and fielding of classified space capabilities (led by SMC),
and

Identify synergy between Title 10/Title 50 organizations (led by the Under Secretary of
Defense for Policy).

DoD leadership will establish the Space Development Agency and will identify the governance,
structure, location, skills, and talent-management required. The end state of the Space
Development Agency will be developed in partnership with the Military Services and theintelligence community and report to an accountable civilian.

SPACE OPERATIONS FORCE
Today all five Military branches possess space expertise, but this space cadre is a small
percentage of the total force. Historically, the Department has grown capability such as Special
Forces, cyber, or medical, through identification, targeted support, training, and careerdevelopment.

Page 9 of 15

Change
To grow the needed joint warfighting expertise, the Department will establish the Space
Operations Force. Similar to Special Operations Forces personnel provided by all MilitaryServices, the Space Operations Force will be composed of the space personnel from all MilitaryServices but developed and managed as one community. The Space Operations Force will
provide the human capital needed to develop, field, and integrate space capabilities into multidomain warfighting.
The Space Operations Force will:Include the space personnel from all Military Services, including Guard, Reserve, andcivilians,Create a clear career track for the space community containing all relevant space
specialties including operations, intelligence, engineering, science, acquisition, cyber,etc., and

Be overseen by U.S. Space Command with civilian oversight from the Office of theSecretary of Defense, while personnel remain in the Services, until the establishment of
the Space Force.

Priorities
The Space Operations Force will:

Develop the world’s best space operations, intelligence, engineering, science, acquisition,
cyber personnel and present them to COCOMs. Be prepared to deploy teams of spaceexperts to U.S. European Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command no later thansummer of 2019,

Scale over time to support continuous rotational presence at combatant commands,

Be prepared to surge expertise forward in time of crisis,Grow the number and quality of space-rated personnel to meet the warfighting needs of
U.S. Space Command and other combatant commands, and

Develop standards that DoD personnel must meet to be Space Operations Forcemembers.

TimingWork on the Space Operations Force begins immediately and will leverage existing work of theservices:

U.S. Space Command, under accountable civilian oversight, will be responsible fordeveloping the Space Operations Force,

DoD will integrate space capabilities and requirements into all required senior militaryleadership courses,

Page 10 of 15

DoD may recommend any necessary additional authorities, systems, or designations toenable oversight similar to U.S. Special Operations Command of Special Forces
personnel, and

DoD will establish human capital development processes, including updates to thecurricula of all service academies, a joint school house, and identifying additional
education strategies, to ensure a robust supply of joint space warfighters.

SERVICES AND SUPPORTTransition and timing to a sixth branch is paced by scaling and effectiveness of the Space
Defense Agency and Space Operations Forces. To ensure a rapid and seamless transition,
conditions and provisions must be identified and set in place.
In addition to warfighting, acquisition, and personnel, there are support functions that each of theexisting Military Services provide with some variation. These capabilities include:

Recruiting,

Legal,



Financial management,



Logistics,



Medical, and

Human resources.

ChangeAs a part of the Department’s legislative proposal for the Space Force, the sixth branch of theArmed Forces, the Department will outline how to provide these services and support.
Priorities
Services and support functions of the Space Force will:Have accountable civilian leadership,Enable the Space Force to be a lean, warfighting organization,



Not add significant or costly headquarters or support personnel, andTiming
Revising title 10 of U.S. Code to establish service and support functions and leadershipauthorities of the Space Force as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces will be the focus of thelegislative proposal submitted by the Department in early 2019.

Page 11 of 15

U.S. SPACE COMMAND
Like other military services, the Space Force will be an organize, train, and equip (OTE)
organization responsible for national security interests in the physical domain of space. The
President recognizes that additional changes beyond OTE are needed to improve and evolve theDepartment of Defense’s space warfighting components. To achieve this, the Department of
Defense will elevate and enhance its space warfighting activities. The innovations that occurred
between World War I and World War II created many of the key technologies and capabilities,
such as the aircraft carrier, that enabled U.S. and Allied victory in World War II. The leadershipof the new U.S. Space Command will provide that spirit of innovation and experimentation
combining warfighters and technical expertise. The National Defense Strategy identified theimportance of “being strategically predictable, but operationally unpredictable” and fostering acompetitive mindset in order to “out-think, out-maneuver, out-partner, and out-innovate”
potential adversaries.
ChangeTo further accelerate warfighting capability, the Department recommends creating a new U.S.
Space Command to become a unified combatant command. U.S. Space Command will be
responsible for preparing for and deterring conflict in space and leading U.S. forces in that fight
if it should happen.
U.S. Space Command will:

Lead U.S. warfighting activities in space and establish unity of command for operational
space forces,

Integrate space planning and operations across military campaigns and contingency
plans,



Simplify the command structure by aligning operational forces to the commander
responsible for joint space warfighting,

Develop space doctrine, concepts of operation and space tactics, techniques andprocedures (TTPs),

Establish enterprise space standards to be adopted by the Military Services, ensuring
interoperability of the joint force, and

Utilize commercial practices and digitization to streamline the footprint and automate
labor-intensive operations.

Priorities
U.S. Space Command priorities will include:Designing and executing a full range of joint space training and exercises, with focused
support to the Asia Pacific Security Initiative and the European Deterrence Initiative,Ensuring modernization meets the requirements of the National Defense Strategy,

Page 12 of 15Providing space expertise to other combatant commands and strengthening partnerships
with our allies,

Monitoring development, training, and management of personnel in the Space
Operations Force, and

Operating a flat and lean headquarters focused on joint warfighting.

Timing
The Department will recommend that the President revise the Unified Command Plan to create
the new U.S. Space Command by the end of 2018 and evaluate the need for any additional
personnel, responsibilities and authorities. Initially the Department will recommend that the Air
Force Space Command commander be dual-hatted as commander of the unified command.
Subsequent commanders will be single-hatted.
The Department will provide combatant commanders with continuous joint space expertise.
These space personnel will allow commanders the ability to use space capabilities to deter andrespond to escalating conflict. The Department will examine U.S. Special Operations Command(USSOCOM) and U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) to develop a lean, flat structure for
U.S. Space Command.
U.S. Space Command will deliver increased space expertise to other combatant commands:
Teams of experienced space operators will staff each combatant command to educatesenior leaders on space contributions to deterrence and warfighting.



U.S. Space Command will expand the capacity to forward deploy space expertise on asurge basis to enhance effectiveness in times of crisis.

WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT SYNERGYThe National Space Council, under the leadership of the Vice President, and the National
Security Council will continue to integrate and ensure a whole-of-government approach toachieving the President’s vision. Although most of the national security space enterprise resides
within the Department of Defense, as the Space Force is established and grows whole ofgovernment considerations include:Improved integration with other space organizations across the intelligence community,
particularly shared organizations including the National Reconnaissance Office andNational Geospatial-Intelligence Agency,Coordination with other U.S. Government departments and agencies that have space
missions, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, andthe Department of Commerce.

Page 13 of 15

LEADERSHIP / GOVERNANCE
The Department will immediately implement the actions in this report that fall under theauthority of the Secretary of Defense. To ensure rapid implementation of these efforts, thefollow-on actions will be addressed by a governance committee led by the Deputy Secretary of
Defense and including: the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of the Air Force,
the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Under Secretary of Defense for
Research and Engineering, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, therelevant combatant commander (first USSTRATCOM and then U.S. Space Command), theUnder Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and the Under Secretary of Defense for
Policy. As work progresses, these leaders will also engage with DoD stakeholders including
Military Service leadership and interagency partners to ensure the final Space Force is wellintegrated with the whole of government. This governance committee will ensure civilian
oversight of the process and a clear proposal for civilian oversight in the final legislative
proposal.
These senior leaders will be responsible for the following:

Establishing accountable civilian oversight for the Space Force,An operating model and reporting structure of the Space Development Agency,Establishment of U.S. Space Command,

Identifying and consolidating current space entities to establish the Space Forcecomponents,

Developing the leadership structure and identifying the leadership candidates,A legislative proposal for the required authorities for the Space Force, and

Identifying the budget structure that includes transitions to a Space Development Agency
and U.S. Space Command.

BUDGET
The President’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget will be sent to Congress in February 2019. The
Department will submit a legislative proposal for the Space Force as the sixth branch of theArmed Forces and identify the budget elements that will move under the Space Force once it isfully established. Additionally, any costs associated with the establishment of the Space Forcewill be outlined.

CONCLUSION
Leadership and critical alignment within the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branchprovide a window of time to drive significant change in the space enterprise and establish a newSpace Force with a generational leap forward in capability.

Page 14 of 15

The Space Force will follow the National Defense Strategy to accelerate new capabilities. This
will grow the commercial space industry and protect U.S. vital interests.
The pace of change will be governed by technology – not held back by organization. The newSpace Development Agency will scale the skills, mindset, and approach of DoD innovative
organizations like the Strategic Capabilities Office and the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office
to develop capabilities at speed, and marry commercial technology and industry withgovernment development. The new U.S. Space Command will merge this new technology withwarfighters dedicated to innovating, experimenting and evolving the Department’s warfighting
concepts. The Space Development Agency will first integrate with the Space Operations Forceand eventually with service support functions and authorities to become the Space Force.
The Space Force will unlock our potential and lead to outcomes never before thought possible.

Page 15 of 15