Slide # 0

Mr. Bill Delaney

Ops Research Analyst

USSTRATCOM/J814

26 Feb 15

Space Situational Awareness

(SSA)

Tabletop Exercise (TTX) –

Learning Together

UNCLASSIFIED

•DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT

Distribution authorized to U.S. Government agencies, their contractors, and official government representatives of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand and their contractors for the explicit purpose of supporting USSTRATCOM Space Situational Awareness Tabletop Exercise II (SSA TTX II).

Administrative/Operational Use, 18 Nov 14

Other uses and reproduction of this document outside of SSA TTX II including expanded dissemination, must be referred to:

USSTRATCOM

J814 Technology Experimentation Support

Suite 2F9

901 SAC Blvd

Offutt AFB, NE 68113

Attention: Mr. William P. Delaney, Civilian, (402) 294-7650

Slide # 1

● Purpose: Provide background on SSA TTX I and

status of SSA TTX II

● Agenda:

● Background

● Why?

● History

● Description

● SSA TTX I review

● Objective and outcomes

● Results

● Recommended next event – SSA TTX II

● Proposed objectives and outcomes

● SSA TTX I and SSA TTX II comparison

● Timeline

Purpose and Agenda

UNCLASSIFIED

Slide # 2

• Roots in U.S. National Security Space Strategy (NSSS), Jan 11

• Challenge: Within complex global, international backdrop, there is a need for nations to

work together to maintain the benefits of space

• Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Challenge: Like-minded nations seek a safe space

environment in which all can operate with minimal risk of accidents, breakups, and

purposeful interference. However, space is becoming increasingly:

• Congested

• Contested

• Competitive

• Benefits of combined space operations

• Improves military effectiveness across all domains

• Improves space mission assurance and resilience

• Strengthens deterrence and mutual security

• Broadens military relationships by leveraging capabilities

• Makes effective use of resources

• Expands international partnerships in support of national objectives

SSA TTX serves as a platform for experimentation and validation of hypotheses that

support future SSA concepts, policies, and capabilities. It also provides

tactical/operational level training to partner Space Operations Centers (SpOC) operators.

SSA TTX Roots, Challenges, and Benefits

Slide # 3

SSA TTX I & II History

National Security

Space Strategy

1 Jan 11

USSTRATCOM/J81

secures funding for

SSA TTX I

Jul 13

UNCLASSIFIED

SSA TTX I Execution,

Suffolk, VA

22-26 Apr 14 USSTRATCOM/J81

secures funding for

SSA TTX II

Nov 14

Initial Planning

Seminar, Vandenberg

Air Force Base

9-11 Dec 14

SSA TTX II Execution

Suffolk, VA

26-30 Oct 15

CDR USSTRATCOM

Requests

International SSA

Exercise

Aug 12

Slide # 4

What SSA TTX Does/Is What SSA TTX Doesn’t Do/Isn’t

Focused Event: Common Theme War gaming (force on force) with multiple objectives

Analysis of objective/measures Big (<100 players/participants)

Simulation/realism Evaluate high-level decision making branches and sequels

Concept validation and operator level training

Validate strategic command and control structures

Create a dynamic scenario environment

Static turn-based scenario with an adjudication function

Lab environment: Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation, Suffolk, Virginia

A distributed event

UNCLASSIFIED

What SSA TTX Is/Is Not

SSA TTX II enhances Coalition Playbook (requested by Gen Kehler, 9 Jul 13) by adding

procedures for sharing of SSA resources. Also benefits partner nations by providing an enriched

environment for combined training and procedure development.

Slide # 5

Slide # 6

SSA TTX I Objectives and Outcomes

• Executed: 22-26 Apr 14, Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation, Suffolk,

Virginia

• Players: 46 (6 Countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, United

Kingdom, and United States)

• Objective: Determine whether increasing the level of cooperation and

interoperability between partner space operations centers will improve

individual and collective space situational awareness support to operations

● Outcomes:

● Validation of the Coalition Playbook used in the TTX

● Estimate of the amount of improvement in national and multi-national

responses to contingencies that can be expected if participating partner

SpOCs implement collaborative processes similar to those in the

Coalition Playbook used in this TTX

UNCLASSIFIED

“Would be nice to generate a Coalition Playbook as part of the experimentation effort.” Gen Kehler, Commander USSTRATCOM, 9 Jul 13

Slide # 7

SSA TTX I Results/Comments

SSA TTX I was successful. “I was impressed by level of expertise sent by each nation to support this event. A key takeaway however is that all our positive findings won’t matter if you forget what you learned here or wait for a fancy report. My challenge is to not wait for the report, but go back and fix the things you can. Fix the things that prevent you from cooperating and collaborating (overcome the obstacles). Remind your leadership and set up the structure that will truly allow us to become more effective.”

Maj Gen David “DT” Thompson USSTRATCOM/J5

• Produced and employed SSA Coalition Playbook; common procedures

usable by all partner nations

• Validated hypothesis; increasing cooperation and collaboration among

partner space operations centers improves individual and mutual

responses to contingencies

• Galvanized community of interest; partners now working on common

SSA procedures; benefits are real and no longer merely conceptual

• Informed combined space operations concepts and procedures

Outcomes

UNCLASSIFIED

Slide # 8

Slide # 9

SSA TTX II Objectives and Outcomes

● Executes: 26-30 Oct 15, Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation, Suffolk,

Virginia

● Players: 52 (7 Countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan,

United Kingdom, and United States)

● Objective: Determine whether sharing analytic resources and data products

between partner space operations centers will improve individual and

collective space situational awareness support to operations

● Objective: Refine national and coalition SSA-related tactics, techniques, and

procedures (TTPs)

● Outcomes:

● Validate updates to the SSA Coalition Playbook

● Estimate national and multinational response improvement to contingencies that can be expected if participating partner SpOCs implement combined sharing of analytic resources and data product procedures similar to those in the Coalition Playbook

UNCLASSIFIED

Slide # 10

SSA TTX I and SSA TTX II Comparison

SSA TTX I = directly provide players contingencies via discrete injects

SSA TTX II = players must pull data from the environment in order to execute TTPs

● SSA TTX II will offer a complete

space environment resident

within analytic tools, databases,

and simulated SSA capability

● Each run will require players to

assess the situation, employ

available processes, exchange

information, and conduct

analysis while exercising TTPs

● SSA TTX II will include clear

national and multinational

success criteria

Feature SSA TTX SSA TTX II Event Type Experimentation Experimentation and training

Collaboration Focus

Share sensor data Share analytic resources and data products

Participation USA, AUS, CAN, DEU, FRA, and GBR

Addition of Japan & commercial space

Scenario Data push only Interactive environment (player driven)

Visualization SSA Dashboard Analytic tool (modeling and simulation driven)

Classification Simulated classified No change

Prep timeline 7.5 Months 12 Months

UNCLASSIFIED

Slide # 11

Main Planning

Seminar II (MPS-II)

19-21 May 15

Omaha, NE

Initial Planning

Seminar (IPS)

9-11 Dec 14

Vandenberg AFB,

CA

UNCLASSIFIED

Final Planning

Seminar (FPS)

24-27 Aug 15

Lighthouse

Suffolk, VA

Final Scenario

Planning Mtg.

11-15 May 15

Vandenberg AFB,

CA

Dry Run

6-9 Oct 15

Suffolk, VA

Aug 15 Jul 15 Sep 15 Oct 15

SSA TTX II

Training

22-23 Oct 15

Suffolk, VA

SSA TTX II

Execution Event

26-30 Oct 15

Lighthouse

Suffolk, VA

Kick Off Call

4 Nov 14

Phone

Initial Scenario

Planning Mtg.

23-27 Feb 15

Vandenberg AFB,

CA

Dec 14 Jan 15 Nov 14 Feb 15 SSA TTX II

Notification

E-Mail

NLT 14 Oct 14

SSA TTX II Timeline

Main Planning

Seminar I (MPS-I)

31 Mar 15

Teleconference

Apr 15 Mar 15 May 15 Jun 15

Slide # 12

Questions?

UNCLASSIFIED