Tech Transition (Space)

Mission — Tech Transition (Space) source

The Tech Transition (Space) Program addresses the gaps between USSF Force Design activities, initial system-level technology or concept development and demonstration, and successful acquisition and operational capability implementation. This program also matures new warfighting concepts to rapidly develop and experiment with fieldable prototypes to assess military utility of transition-ready weapon systems. Following the guidance in the National Defense Strategy, the Department of the Air Force has institutionalized Experimentation and Prototyping to achieve smarter, faster, and more efficient acquisitions that move technologies rapidly to support the most critical warfighting capabilities. Project 649493 eases and accelerates the architectural pivots required by the Space Warfighting Analysis Center's future force design recommendations through engagement with commercial and industry partners, prototyping and demonstration, test buys and contracts, warfighter engagement, and the capturing of lessons learned to feed back into Force Design analytics and forward into requirements and acquisition. Project 64S444, Experimentation (Space), explores new space-related concepts and their applications in potential future operating environments within a system-of-systems context, taking risks early in the acquisition process to drive a more optimized and efficient acquisition process and significantly reduce overall acquisitions costs. The Tech Transition Program allows acquisition program managers (the capability developers) and warfighters (the capability recipients and end users) to prototype, integrate, and demonstrate candidate technologies and assess them in an operational system-of-systems environment in partnership with Combatant Commanders, Major and Field Commands, Program Executive Officers, schoolhouses, simulation facilities, and development planning organizations. This Program is a parallel effort to United States Air Force Program Element (PE) 0604858F, Tech Transition Program, Project 645350, Experimentation, and continues space-related work executed in that Program in prior fiscal years. Through FY 2030, the Projects quantify the performance and resilience of a Hybrid SATCOM architecture in an operational environment by connecting flexible terminals (from multiple vendors) to multiple SATCOM paths spanning low, medium, and geosynchronous orbits. Each of these new SATCOM pathways offer unique attributes to the DOD. The terminal flexibility will allow rapid incorporation of new commercial SATCOM vendors as they emerge, thus ensuring low-cost SATCOM options for DOD in the foreseeable future. The Resilient Architecture Design and Evaluation project coupled with Hybrid SATCOM terminals will prototype and test techniques for dynamic networking, enhancing cybersecurity, and rapid switching capabilities between DoD and commercial paths, including broadband, narrowband and other mission services through both space-to-ground and space-to-space connectivity. The knowledge will transition to USSF to inform contract structures for operations that enable switching between DoD systems and multiple vendors at minimum cost. Together, these Projects will directly inform COCOMS, MAJCOMS, Field Commands, and PEOs in the acquisition and sustainment of Hybrid SATCOM capability for multiple Joint Force applications using commercial service level agreements and advanced cybersecurity architectures. In order to manage, execute, and deliver science and technology capabilities, this program element may include: necessary civilian pay expenses; expenses to support the operation and maintenance of facilities; as well as expenses related to travel, supplies, IT hardware, software and support, administrative contractor services, etc. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.

Mission — Resilient Architecture Design and Evaluation source

The Resilient Architecture Design and Evaluation project conducts experimentation within an interconnected hybrid SATCOM architecture to validate the performance, scalability and resilience of providing the Joint Force with multiple separate communications paths. To achieve these resiliency gains, the hybrid network requires 1) on-demand management of multi-band, multi-orbit DoD, allied and commercial data links; and 2) management and control capabilities to orchestrate paths through the space and ground networks. The effort validates the "Resilience by Design” approach in the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) Space Data Transport Force Design recommendations through a combination of 1) modeling and simulation; 2) hardware- and software-in-the-loop analysis; and 3) terrestrial and on-orbit demonstration. The project leverages Hybrid SATCOM terminal prototyping in the Experimentation (Space) project along with direct relationships with commercial terrestrial and space data transport providers to demonstrate dynamic networking, understand commercial offerings, assess security and resiliency, and jump-start future acquisition approaches that enable a pivot to a more resilient architecture.

Mission — Experimentation (Space) source

Experimentation (Space), Project 64S444, efforts conduct experimentation and field prototyping of Hybrid Satellite Communications (SATCOM) terminals for Joint operational implementation. In FY 2022, this included experimentation for Arctic Communications, leveraging Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Global Lightning efforts. In FY 2024 through FY 2028, the Experimentation (Space) efforts will extend Hybrid SATCOM capabilities to an expanded set of DOD platforms, and enable assured communications through both commercial and military satellite constellations in multiple orbital regimes, while accessing multiple frequency bands to maintain resilient connectivity and security. The Hybrid SATCOM terminal effort implements and experimentally flight tests multi-band, multi-constellation, multi-orbit SATCOM terminals at three ground installations and on nine different aircraft types. Specific platforms and platform details are available through proper channels. The Project also demonstrates the ability of Hybrid SATCOM terminals to seamlessly switch between vendors and satellite constellations. The Hybrid SATCOM terminal prototyping will include secure connectivity using National Security Agency-approved approaches, and authority approvals at least to the interim levels needed for experimentation as required for DOD communications.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (2)