Assessing the Readiness of Contractor-Provided Space Operations Capabilities

Abstract

In the past, the space domain was treated as a sanctuary there was little emphasis on warfighting or tracking readiness to do so. But today the U.S. military and the Air Force expect a contested, denied, or operationally limited space environment, and it is important that all contributors to space operations military, civilian, and contractors are trained and ready to face these challenges. The Air Force has systems to track the readiness of operational military units, but no equivalent readiness information exists for contractors and the missions they perform to support space operations. The authors of this report reviewed contractor personnel tracking in Air Force databases, examined contractor information for two Air Fore Space Command (AFSPC) squadrons, and interviewed subject matter experts within these two squadrons and at Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC). The authors find that contractors contribute substantially to Air Force space mission, and they provide recommendations on how the Air Force can better monitor the readiness of these personnel.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2022
Accession Number
AD1156329

Entities

People

  • Anthony D. Rosello
  • Muharrem Mane
  • Paul Emslie

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Business Administration
  • Contracted Services
  • Contractors
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Governments
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • Organizational Structure
  • Space Force
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Strategic Security Studies

Technology Areas

  • Space