Defense One Service Branch Spotlight: Space Force
Defense One Service Branch Spotlight: Space Force, featuring Dr. Brian Kehl, Deputy Commanding General-Support at Space Operations Command, Space Force.
Key Takeaways:
Operational and Sustainment Integration: Dr. Kehl discusses the importance of integrating operational and sustainment functions within the Space Operations Command to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
- Infrastructure Updates and Resilience: The discussion underscores efforts to modernize infrastructure essential for space operations. Dr. Kehl highlights the critical upgrades needed to support advanced operations and improve resilience against disruptions.
- Resource Management Challenges: Dr. Kehl addresses the complexities of managing resources in a context of budgetary constraints. He explains the challenges posed by the budget planning process, which requires forecasting needs years in advance, and adapting to budget allocations that may not align perfectly with operational needs due to shifting priorities or external fiscal pressures.
Defense One Service Branch Spotlight: Space Force
9 May 2024
Speaker:
Dr. Brian Kehl, Deputy Commanding General-Support, Space Operations Command, Space Force
Quotes:
On Integration and Efficiency in Space Operations
“We’ve seen some great successes so far. We’ve been able to minimize the scene or the gaps that happened between the operational community and the sustainment. So having a single commander and a vice commander with them both at the kernel level who now oversee not just the operations of the satellites or the electromagnetic spectrum of things that we’re doing in that mission area but they also have the sustainment of the weapon system.”
“When you make those resource allocation decisions and how you allocate your manpower to people I allocate your dollars we can more closely tied what we’re doing on the operational side and if you see a challenge on the operational side then we want a little more sustainment dollars in this specific area called Ethernet and move those dollars most people around.”
“Utilizing this new integrated mission Delta concept by bringing sustainment operations has allowed us on the support side even more involved in the operational aspects of space operations.”
Role of Infrastructure in Mission Readiness
“I also am responsible for the infrastructure and mission sustainment of our ground base assets that support our space.”
Challenges and Adaptations in Resource Management
“So, for instance, going back to GPS delta… They took on some additional manpower out of Space Systems Command to do the sustainment function… It was manpower neutral to the Space Force but the particular field command that that manpower Mellon who from space says this command over to Space Operations grant under provisional construct currently as we go through the test space.”
“It’s a challenge because we’re required to operate on less than what we believe we’re going to get. So we’re slowing down procurement we’re slowing down obligations of dollars because Congress is supposed to do that.”
“So generally in our submission we put forth our requirements for the program objective memorandum. And then through the budgetary process we get pulled back eight years the dollars that you have available in space operations that you can execute in a given fiscal year.”
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