Resilient MW/MT
Abstract
In 2021, the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) conducted its inaugural USSF Force Design with a key focus area in the Missile Warning and Missile Tracking mission area. The goal of the analysis was to produce a highly resilient government reference design that could maintain custody of emergent dimmer and more maneuverable threats through the boost and post-boost phases of flight. The SWAC concluded that a multi-layered approach was required to meet the stringent performance requirements while maximizing total system resilience. Their recommended government reference design included a combined constellation of 135 LEO and 16 MEO satellites working in concert through an integrated ground solution. On 27 Jan 2022, the Space Acquisition Council concluded that the Space Development Agency would develop the LEO layer of the architecture while Space Systems Command would provide the MEO layer in addition to serving as the total system integrator. The Missile Warning/Missile Tracking (MW/MT) Ground project executes the ground segment for the OPIR architecture transition from a missile warning boost-phase focused constellation to a distributed, multi-orbit constellation to meet the intent of the 2021 Force Design recommendation. This architecture pivot performs both missile warning and missile tracking (post-boost phase) anchored on the Missile Warning and Missile Defense OPIR Enterprise OPIR Capability Development Document (CDD), validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC), JROCM 042-19, dated 8 May 2019. The inclusion of missile tracking ensures the constellation can maintain custody of evolved dim and maneuvering threats through all phases of flight to provide required missile warning attack characterization. This pivot also marks the transition to a more resilient architecture against kinetic and non-kinetic threats. With space assets distributed in multiple orbits, the overall architecture and mission is more resilient in a contested environment. The Missile Warning / Missile Tracking Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) investments evolve the architecture beyond Next-Gen OPIR GEO, Polar and the Space Modernization Initiative demonstrations to an operational system that will perform the full missile warning and missile tracking mission. The Space Force will phase and deploy space assets for this effort in collaboration with capabilities delivered by the Space Development Agency (SDA). As part of this PE, the Space Force and SDA will collaboratively develop satellite control capabilities and fuse mission data for accurate warning/tracking solutions. Both the Space Force and SDA will leverage existing global OPIR ground infrastructure within their organizations to perform the layer-specific ground functions. SSC will serve as the System of Systems Integrator to implement this combined ground segment, identifying shared investment strategies to maximize affordability, and presenting a unified, trusted data source that meet stringent accuracy and latency requirements. Overall, the Department of Defense is united to deliver a multi-faceted OPIR architecture that meets warfighter needs for detection, tracking, and reporting on these challenging evolved missile threats. To support the LEO Space layer specific ground functions, SDA's ground segment provides constellation management, ground-based data processing, dissemination, and management, space-to-ground verification and ground-based interoperability testing, support operations, and other integration activities for the SDA Tranche 1 (T1) Tracking Layer and integrates with the MW/MT enterprise. The T1 Tracking Layer, awarded in FY 2022, is the minimum viable product proliferated satellite constellation to provide global access for tracking of Hypersonic Glide Vehicles and other advanced missile threats. As a part of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA), the LEO MW/MT ground segment leverages the T1 Transport Layer, and T1 Operations and Integration (O&I) Centers to provide MW/MT data to the Warfighter anywhere in the world. To support the MEO Space layer specific ground functions, the Space Force is transitioning the MEO Track Custody Demonstration (1206442SF, 657009) ground segment to a program of record. It expands the existing MW ground architecture to meet the Command and Control (C2) and Mission Data Processing (MDP) requirements for the new Resilient MW/MT MEO space layer as well as integrates with existing space-based MW capabilities [i.e., Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS)], planned space-based MW capabilities [i.e., Next-Gen Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (Next-Gen GEO) and Next Gen Polar systems], and interagency MW/MT capabilities [i.e., SDA's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) MW/MT] to ensure that the MW/MT mission is able to meet the detection, tracking, and reporting demands for evolved, dim and maneuvering threats. The Space Force will perform the systems of systems integration function for both MEO and LEO layers to meet warfighter needs for detection, tracking, and reporting on these challenging missile threats. The Space Force may pursue a competitive award for the lead systems integration to align efforts across MW/MT LEO Space, MEO Space, and MW/MT Ground. Space acquisition must respond with speed and agility to emerging adversary threats. Space Systems Command (SSC) has transformed the organization and implementation of space acquisition to an enterprise approach, maximizing innovation and resiliency, leveraging international, commercial, and mission partnerships, and managing program/project priorities according to an integrated unclassified/classified enterprise space architecture. Expanding the appropriate acquisition authorities and contract mechanisms to deliver capability sooner, SSC will strategically execute experimentation, prototyping, risk reduction, and other efforts to develop new or repurpose existing capabilities This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver MWMT capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 1206392SF and 1206398SF. This program is in Budget Activity 5, System Development and Demonstration (SDD) because it has passed Milestone B approval and is conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Source ID
- 657124_1206448SF_5_3620F_PB_2023
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