Spaceforce System Command’s 2-Day Look At Exploiting Commercial Technology For ISR

The United State Spaceforce Command, led by Lt Gen Michael Guetlein (pictured), took a hard look, over a two-day period, at the possibility of using commercial satellite and traditional commercial equipment for Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) purposes,

but more importantly, how that could be applied to military operations. A particular point of interest was the ability to collect data (such as radar imagery, radio-frequency signals, maritime, and aerial traffic) from multiple sources in real-time, and translate that into useful intelligence, aka tactical space-based ISR.

The Russian-Ukraine conflict has perhaps created somewhat of an urgency for the force to derive and explore use-cases that can provide a tactical advantage. Over 30 companies participated in the U.S. Space Force’s inaugural ‘Industry Day’ event that was held last week in the vicinity of Washington DC. Mr. John Galer, Assistant VP for National Security Space at the Aerospace Industries Association, said the space command had selected a mix of new space and traditional defense firms to brief a group of about 50 government officials on the state of technology for space-based ISR. 

He stated that “it was really an opportunity to have a conversation about what is available and what’s out there… for Space Systems Command to talk about how they’re trying to do business in a different way”.

Naturally, the commercial entities see dollar signs and a significant business opportunity, and the U.S. government is looking for high-resolution imagery, as well as services that combine non-traditional imagery with on-demand needs. Industry is buoyed by the Spaceforce’s interest in commercial technology for ISR however, let’s hope they are as bullish on the encryption, security, and resilience of the systems they offer.

FMI: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil, https://usaf.mil