10 May 2023
Maj. Gen. Shawn N. Bratton, Commander, STARCOM
Q&A
Training for Space Environment
Q- How do you make sure guardians have an environment that’s competitive?
We’ve had great success in bringing people into the service and establishing culture. We have to have a good understanding of the threats in the domain. I think building readiness through exercises is key to that …and figuring out how to integrate throughout the joint force.
Digital Twins
Q- Do you see a challenge to maintaining digital twins?
We partner closely with SWAC and SSC. We want digital models. The flow in SF works pretty well. SWAC begins that process. As it works throughout the AQ process, I’ll get my hands on the model and work to bring it into the simulation environment. We’re thinking about how we bring in existing spacecraft that don't already have an existing digital model.
National Space Test & Training Complex (NSTTC)
Q- How is this different? How do you see it supporting training?
There’s no sovereignty in space. We had to think about how we do activities to create readiness but also be safe and professional. We’re building this right now. There are already pieces that exist.
Black Skies Exercise
Q- Tell us about this exercise?
Yeah, there is a whole series and we’re really excited. We run the stars and skies events, help with flag events… Black Skies is an electromagnetic warfare exercise. Next year we’ll be Blue Skies which is cyber. We’ve done two Black Skies now. We think about offense defense in electromagnetic warfare. We’re getting at the combat credible force that Gen. Saltzman has charged us to do. We are trying to be responsive to SpOC’s readiness goal. We run the Skies series to meet SpOC’s training needs. Black Skies we specifically deliver EW to meet training goals.
Partners & Allies & Polaris Hammer
Q- Takeaways from working Polaris Hammer?
What do we think about C2 in SF and INDOPACOM? What’s the coordination that occurs with partners and allies? What’s the orders process? Polaris Hammer will continue. We will put that on any time a component level field command asks for practice at that level. Challenges, there’s still so much that’s new. We’re going as fast as we can go. The pace of the change is so rapid that by the time you execute an exercise there’s something new that’s already happened. How do you deliver current training that meets the needs of the Commander that’s asking for it?
Doctrine & Campaign of Learning
Q- How are you going to validate doctrine that’s not coming out of operational experience?
That’ the challenge. We haven’t fought in space and we can’t wait until after the fact to write the doctrine. What orbital regime is the most valuable? We call that a concept. We take that concept and run it through the campaign of learning, run it through exercises, think it through. SWAC helps. If it proves to be viable, we consider it some nascent doctrine.
Partnering in Academia
Q- Why did you take this vector and choose John Hopkins?
John Hopkins, first class will start this summer. We’re excited about it. Independent PME for SF. For ops we were able to build this partnership. One of the courses of action, of course we could build SF University but we’re such a small service it didn’t make sense to do that. Resources weren’t the right fit. We’re really excited where this partnership will go. There’s work still ahead of us but we’ll get to it. The size of our service, there’s no discussion or chance we’d go a different route. Air Force Academy produces members for both services. They are delivering a great quality of education.
Partnering in Academia
Q- Do you seek any different outcomes than traditional PME?
We absolutely have to meet the joint requirements. That’s where there will be sailors, airmen, marines, soldiers that also come through. That helps with credibility on the joint side. Policy piece at John Hopkins, it’s really something that raises the bar. Our students interacting with the students at John Hopkins, this will be very positive as folks build relationships.
Recruiting & Retention
Q- USSF has a need for talented folks. You have to keep them. What are challenges in SF? Opportunities?
Recruiting side is less of an issue for USSF because of our small size. Interesting thing will be in the retention piece. Members we’re bringing in are not afraid to ask tough questions. We’re looking at training throughout your career followed by opportunity. Same with education. I think opportunity will help people want to stay. I think it’s too soon to know if that’s enough.
Audience Q&A
Black Skies
Q- Can you expand on what you learned from this year’s live simulation exercise?
A lot of our learning is on the C2 side. There are always lessons learned on IC side.
NSTTC Industry Day
Q- What outcomes are you looking for for upcoming NSTTC Industry Days in June?
June 22-23 in CO Springs. We’re going to talk through our gaps in NSTTC. There are areas we absolutely need help with industry. Architecture that holds it all together is the digital infrastructure. How do I bring capabilities together and allow them to be composed in a live way? Particularly on the test side of the house we need some additional capability and sensors. When we’re conducting and staring into space, we need dedicated sensors.
AQ Demo
Q- Any update on AQ Demo to attract and retain talent and nontraditional candidates?
Yes we’re working at this. SSC has been on this for quite some time. We are using all the tools of AQ Demo to bring in the best talent.
Joint Exercises
Q- Has the establishment of the SF as a separate service impacted the ability to integrate space capabilities and joint exercises? Better or problematic?
We continue to participate in all the joint events and now we have some ourselves. Demand level is high, and SF is small so we’re doing everything we can… There are a couple places where we’re going back and making sure we have the right expertise in place. In some places we’re going back within AF and reestablishing some connections. I think in a greater joint community we’re well plugged in.
Satellite Operators
Q- Are there challenges in bringing in various satellite operators as a warfighting team?
We tend to train them in individual groups but we don’t operate that way. Usually there are representatives together for space, cyber, intel. We’re talking about how we integrate across training and operators. We need to bring this back into the training pipeline and are training as a crew.
[End]
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