Space Security and Defense Program
Abstract
This Program Element funds the DoD/Air Force component of the Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP). The SSDP is a Joint Department of Defense (DoD) and Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) organization established to function as the center of excellence for options and strategies (materiel, non-materiel, cross-Title, cross-domain) leading to a more resilient and enduring National Security Space (NSS) Enterprise. Formerly known as the Space Protection Program (SPP), the SSDP was chartered by the DoD and ODNI to expand the existing authorities and roles/responsibilities of the SPP; effectively integrating and unifying space protection efforts on a National level to better meet the evolving threat to our NSS systems and capabilities. The SSDP Operates under the authority of the Deputy Secretary of Defense (DEPSECDEF) and Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI) to lead and collaborate on space protection vulnerability, susceptibility, and mitigation assessments of NSS services for the purpose of identifying and introducing protection recommendations into existing requirements, budgeting, acquisition, and operational development processes. This unique mission provides an ongoing and crucial core protection competency that advances specific projects/activities (including cyber) to deliver comprehensive, economical and actionable solutions for both programmatic and operational domains. The SSDP scope spans multiple space missions and stakeholders including the DoD, Intelligence Community (IC), civil, commercial, and international space entities that support NSS missions in both peacetime and throughout all phases of conflict. The program works within existing processes spanning requirements, budgeting, acquisition, and operational development to carry-out its protection mission. It is focused on being responsive to NSS stakeholders in providing technical and operational assessments of emergent threat concepts, and developing near- and far-term plans to address strategies, threats, and vulnerabilities. In the context of its projects and activities, the SSDP 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. SSDP projects/activities center on identifying solutions to current space protection needs with a common sense approach to balancing near-term results with long-term acquisition, architecture, and strategic objectives. Given the ever-changing elements of the space protection landscape, the SSDP is designed to remain flexible and responsive to fluctuating NSS priorities and objectives. Protection projects/activities in one year are typically dependent upon or advised by the results/findings or progress made on tasks in the preceding FY, and must remain responsive to annual DEPSECDEF and PDDNI - approved SSDP Work Plans that take such variability into consideration. As such, SSDP FY15 projects/activities will be structured to address the priorities and objectives of the SSDP Work Plan and meet the National space survivability and protection needs as directed by the DEPSECDEF and the PDDNI. In order to ensure resiliency in a contested space environment, FY15 efforts will leverage available resources to support NSS survivability requirements and address protection issues, options, and strategies in the priority articulated in the annual SSDP Work Plan. SSDP will translate resilience, protection, endurance, and survivability into protection strategy/policy and threat mitigation projects and/or activities in specific mission areas to inform/impact budget and program formulation, influence the development of system or segment requirements, provide technical parameters to systems and capabilities, improve Concept of Operations (CONOPS) / Tatics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) for operational systems, shape and inform protection-related policies, and identify areas for additional collection and/or analysis by the IC to feed threat mitigation efforts. The FY15 President Budget request represents the resources required to operate and execute a 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. The FY15 request 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. This essentially enables the SSDP to deliver the research, analysis, studies, tools and capabilities necessary to identify, prioritize, develop, and implement the most effective and economical solutions to preserve NSS capabilities. 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, 2015
- Source ID
- 0603830F_4_3600_PB_2015
- Change Summary Explanation
- FY13: -$0.872M for Sequestration FY14: -$4.00M due to Congressional reduction FY15: +$10.596M to increase capacity and for additional low-cost/high-impact protection projects/activities
- Service Agency Name
- Air Force
Entities
Organizations
- United States Air Force
Related Documents
- Child Project: Space Protection Program
- Child Accomplishment: Threat Mitigation Project and Activities
- Child Accomplishment: Strategic Protection Activities and Products
- Child Accomplishment: SATCOM Resiliency Enhancement