Space Protection Program (SPP)

Abstract

This Program Element funds the DoD/Air Force component of the Space Protection Program (SPP) which provides alternatives, establishes focus and energizes programs across the DoD and National Security Space (NSS) to implement mission resilience strategies that ensure the Nation has a comprehensive space protection approach in our intelligence, acquisition, and operational communities. As designed, the SPP employs a cooperative, objective, and enterprise-level approach to implement the capabilities, plans, and options to deter, defend against, and if necessary, defeat efforts to interfere with or attack U.S. or allied space systems in an increasingly constrained and hostile environment. While the AF and National Reconnaissance Organization (NRO) each contribute to their portion of the SPP mission from separate funding sources, the SPP continues to focus both partners on a common objective and remains the critical element that leverages the best efforts of the DoD and Intelligence Community (IC) to proactively plan for and respond to threats against a majority of the National Space Enterprise. Within this Program Element, the SPP is focused on targeted objectives to support Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), AF and DoD mission priorities and, in tandem, carry out the broader joint SPP mission. This unique mission provides an ongoing and necessary core protection competency that advances specific projects/activities (including cyber) to deliver comprehensive, economical and actionable solutions for both programmatic and operational domains. SPP alternatives and solutions are leveraged to inform/impact budget and program formulation; develop system or segment requirements; provide technical performance parameters to programs; improve Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) for operational systems; and identify areas that need additional collection and/or analysis by the IC. Based on recommendations from the Assessment of National Space Control Capabilities study and the effectiveness of the SPP to date, the DoD is further expanding the current posture in FY14 to better meet the evolving threat and provide enduring support to the entire NSS Enterprise. The FY14 request increases the resources required to operate and execute an enhanced, synchronized and effective space protection effort for the Nation; fulfilling a unique, objective and independent role that considers comprehensive, enterprise-level, space and non-space, material and non-material solutions across NSS systems and architectures (cross-cutting, cross-domain and integrated measures/recommendations). The FY14 request accelerates the timeline to accomplish threat mitigation projects in key mission areas and expands program responsibilities to represent the whole of government in developing, reviewing and integrating protection-specific measures into policy, requirements, acquisitions and operations. Through this enhancement, the DoD and IC are able to fully address offensive and defensive space control capabilities on an enduring basis; looking to the SPP as the center of excellence and analytical focal point for options and strategies (materiel, non-materiel, cross-Title, cross-domain) leading to a more resilient and effective NSS Enterprise. The FY14 request also preserves the skill-set, knowledge base and multi-organizational construct required to remain ahead of the threat and to evolve programmatic direction and operational CONOPS across multiple orbital regimes in a way that minimizes duplication and inefficiency. To that end, the SPP will provide a central focus for unifying and integrating Title 10/50 roles and responsibilities (AF and NRO efforts) to deliver research, analysis, studies, tools and capabilities necessary to identify, prioritize, develop, and implement the most effective and economical solutions to preserve NSS capabilities. As part of the ongoing role of the program to develop and implement (when appropriate) protection solutions for the Nation, the FY14 request also includes $10M in support of an incremental project to upgrade the ground-based software used to plan Satellite Communications (SATCOM) operations. The SPP will manage this project and deliver on a tactically-responsive upgrade that is operationally integrated through the wideband architecture by FY17. The majority of the remaining increase in FY14 request will be used to initiate stategic protection efforts focusing on establishing integrated activities supporting space survivability and protection objectives across policy, requirements, threat analysis and architecture evaluation regimes. This program 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.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
• Source ID: 0603830F_4_3600_PB_2014
• Change Summary Explanation: FY12: -$0.225M for SBIR Reduction FY14: +$17.300M for core program changes to enhance the current SPP effort to represent the whole of the US government in protecting US Space enterprise.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Cyber
• Engineered Resilient Systems
• Human Systems
• Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Air Force
• Artificial Satellites
• Communities
• Contractors
• Cost Analysis
• Costs
• Cross Domain
• Governments
• Ground Based
• Infrastructure
• National Security
• Personnel Management
• Security
• Space Systems
• Surface Plasmon Polaritons
• Test And Evaluation

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

• Cyber
• Space