Posted on Nov 16, 2021
The United States Space Force became the 6th branch of the Armed Forces. What do you expect the USSF to provide to the other branches?
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The USSF is still relatively new. The USAF has been responsible for the majority of the missions for the past few decades. Now the USSF is a force multiplier and fulfills the critical mission needs in Space and on Earth. Is there a common understanding among the other branches about what the USSF provides?
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 7
In my view, Capt (Join to see), it is still too soon to delineate exactly what the USSF ultimately will provide as I am sure this is being fleshed out at command level... That said, I believe that any craft that enters orbit or is placed on a mission to another solar system object, like the moon, an asteroid, a planet, as well as any satellite, foreign or domestic and especially in time of conflict or war, the defensive mechanisms to neutralize any adverse military action by another nation to begin with... My response merely provides some possibilities, which are the tip of the nose cone, so-to-speak...
Kerry USAF 1961-1965 +2
Kerry USAF 1961-1965 +2
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Capt (Join to see)
I think Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin spelled it out very well. We have a plethora of missions.
You are pretty spot on. The Space Force does have equity in that mission set. I would say we are merely a force multiplier in a lot of those areas. We would of course rely on the Navy, US Army and/or the USAF to employ weapon systems if necessary.
You are pretty spot on. The Space Force does have equity in that mission set. I would say we are merely a force multiplier in a lot of those areas. We would of course rely on the Navy, US Army and/or the USAF to employ weapon systems if necessary.
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I've already worked closely with them. Off the top of my head, I'd say they are responsible for:
1. Satellite Control
2. Space launch and logistics
3. Missile warning
4. Missile defense
5. Command, Control, Communications through space
6. Space Object Identification (which just got a little more complex thanks to Russia)
7. Counter space operations
8 Defensive space operations
1. Satellite Control
2. Space launch and logistics
3. Missile warning
4. Missile defense
5. Command, Control, Communications through space
6. Space Object Identification (which just got a little more complex thanks to Russia)
7. Counter space operations
8 Defensive space operations
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Capt (Join to see)
I see you have some experience. :) Yes...to add, Thanks Russia for making an already complex environment, even more complex and unsafe. Thankfully due to SOI we are able to send data to the ISS which reports debris fields that may endanger the ISS every 90 minutes. I also add, thanks to Russia, it validates the USSF even more.
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Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin
Capt (Join to see) - I've spent some time at building 1 as an action officer, Schriever to conduct several assessments and establish relationships with the 527th Space Aggressors, and assessing Cheyenne Mountain and PARCS. I've also worked with the USSF S3/6 staff and the SIBRS folks at Buckley and Schriever in their efforts to gather cybersecurity analytics for all space mission assets.
We may say space is mostly an enabler, but it is a significantly huge effort with highly critical capabilities. The point about making them a service to which I agree with was to give them their own seat at the table when it comes to space advocacy. As much as I loved the Air Force and our Air assets, space was always second in their priorities. I work in cyber, thus we were usually third. With Russia blowing up satellites in space, this only proves they are preparing to conduct war in space. Obviously we need to be able to do the same, offensively and defensively. China's also been preparing for war in space for a long time.
We may say space is mostly an enabler, but it is a significantly huge effort with highly critical capabilities. The point about making them a service to which I agree with was to give them their own seat at the table when it comes to space advocacy. As much as I loved the Air Force and our Air assets, space was always second in their priorities. I work in cyber, thus we were usually third. With Russia blowing up satellites in space, this only proves they are preparing to conduct war in space. Obviously we need to be able to do the same, offensively and defensively. China's also been preparing for war in space for a long time.
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Capt (Join to see)
Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin I worked at Buckley as well back in 2016. I was at AFSPC prior to that as well. Space certainly provides critical awareness for missile warning and missile defense.
Having a seat at the table certainly helps. Plus, I understand how critical cyber is to the infrastructure. I have a Master’s in Cybersecurity. They go hand in hand and we certainly need to focus on protecting the architecture in the physical and cyber domains.
Having a seat at the table certainly helps. Plus, I understand how critical cyber is to the infrastructure. I have a Master’s in Cybersecurity. They go hand in hand and we certainly need to focus on protecting the architecture in the physical and cyber domains.
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Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin
You're at the 13th DOS now right? Make sure you take opportunities to highlight cyber to your students (assuming you're an instructor or you work with instructors).
USSF was definitely taking Cyber very seriously when I was working with them last year through Feb of this year. A large majority of what they have under their purview includes segregated, stovepiped, and legacy systems/networks. My role was to help them consolidate the analytics of those networks and systems for the JCC2 system construct. USSF is working to have their own consolidated SA capability, to which JCC2 is hoping to get a feed for the larger DISN cyber SA picture. I enjoyed working with them and the folks out of NORTHCOM.
USSF was definitely taking Cyber very seriously when I was working with them last year through Feb of this year. A large majority of what they have under their purview includes segregated, stovepiped, and legacy systems/networks. My role was to help them consolidate the analytics of those networks and systems for the JCC2 system construct. USSF is working to have their own consolidated SA capability, to which JCC2 is hoping to get a feed for the larger DISN cyber SA picture. I enjoyed working with them and the folks out of NORTHCOM.
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Basically they're just taking retroactive credit for the missions that the Air Force, Navy and Army's Space Commands have been doing for decades and continue to do today.
Value added: None
Value added: None
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Capt (Join to see)
Not entirely inaccurate. You are spot on that Navy and Army have respectively provided Space capabilities such as the USAF in a lot of ways. Ever since the 50's the US Army and Navy were the primary proponents of space development that we see today with rocketry and launch. Keeping that in mind, the USSF now takes what once was and creates a focus on it and codifies the importance of space now.
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