SFA SWT with Maj Gen Greg Gagnon

03 Aug 2023

Space Force Association SWT

Maj. Gen. Greg Gagnon, Deputy Chief of Space Operations, USSF

Responsibilities and Differences Between USSF and USSC

• -My last job was in USSC as J2. All combatant commands have a similar first function, plan, command, and assess joint operations for whatever their unified plan is. USSC they plan, command, and assess components.
• -I wrote an article that explains the differences and helps explain the expansion of each combatant command.
• -USSC, plan, direct, and assess. USSF organizes, trains, equips, readies, and presents to the Joint Commander. We’re a force provider to USSC.
• -Big difference moving ahead is thinking about the tasks we’re preparing to do. The last wars weren’t against adversaries who could make space a contested environment. We are preparing to deter Russia and China and we know from their force design that they intend to make all domains contested and disruptive.

Combatant Command Components and Intel Professionals Throughout

• -Inside the formation at INDOPACOM, there’s an 06 position. I don’t have a face in that billet but I have a Lt. Col. in that position. It’ll take us a few years to match up.
• -Two new things, one is the size of USSC J2 Directorate. That’s new growth in the last few years. Inside the components and in the service there are 1500+ of space intel folks. I am already seeing the benefit in multiple different ways.
• -I’ve been to Vandenberg and I went through their course and threat material personally. All of it was up to date at the TS/SCI level that the course was taught in. Guardian intel is getting better and guardians overall are getting better.
• -Unlike five years ago where you really had to convince people about the adversaries in space, DOD has internalized that and now the discussion is how much of a reconstitution force should we be budgeting for? How do we make sure what we have is resilient in combat? That’s tremendous progress in the dialog of NSS.

Roles of Intel Professional in Different Units

• -There are intel professionals that take finished intel and tailor it and apply it to the missions. They’re working in the 71^st ISR squadron.
• -SIGINT, imagery, geospatial intel, there’s a large force for intelligence working disciplines. We deliver the intel for how we understand adversary intent, capabilities, activities.
• -For the enlisted, they are much more specialized. You start as either intel applications or signals intel.

Data Analysis and Data Processes

• -One challenge we’ll have in the future is the pace of the adversary. We can’t add people every time the PRC adds a satellite. We can’t add intel professionals every time they add a capability.
• -Our primary rubik’s cube is the UDL. It’s managed by SSC in LA. It’s a real program today and is already in implementation. UDL is where we require all new sensors for SDA to integrate their data. It works also with ATLAS.
• –Warp Core, it’s our application layer where we build tools to pull the data out in order to inform maneuver, protection, fires, intel…
• -We have a strategy. I’m not looking for a new paradigm. We have one. Jump on board.

Retention

• -I do not have a retention problem but I’m not foolish enough that that will continue forever. We need to make sure we can retain people.
• -Quality of life and quality of work. In USSF the key thing is to make sure the advertisement matches the reality.
• -We do have bonuses for the advanced signals classes. We are doing incentivized bonuses. We’re also doing proficiency pay for languages.
• -Quality of work is probably the most important thing.

Joint Forces Quarterly Article, Threats, Mission

• -It’s harder for the American public to really understand. I’ve written about three articles in the past year. In one I used an analogy- space used to be something that was only talked about in science club. Science club has now turned into a fight club. Our adversaries, if there’s a war, will extend it into space rapidly. They need to hold it at risk. That’s why they’ve built counterspace capabilities.
• -PLA and CCP studied how we did power projection and the Chinese Military Commission has decreased the number of personnel in PLA and moved them to the Strategic Support Force. That includes space attack weaponry that they have, lasers, jammers, a whole magazine of diversity, and a lot of assets in space to see further, sense better, and create their version of JADC2 for a fight they want further and further from their shore line.

International Space Activities

• -There are a number of nations looking to expand their use of space but many are partners and allies.
• -From an intel perspective, about half of what we do is focused on China. About 25% is focused on Russia which is mostly because of the conflict. And the rest is understanding rest of the world and the commercial sector. We’re trying to avoid operational surprises. NSIC does an excellent job at understanding the broader portfolio.
• -We talk about the Five Eyes, they’ve been integrated with us for years. There’s been additions to this through CSPOC so it includes Germany and France.
• -Changes in commercial are affecting the USG, the British, the Norwegians… you’re seeing great changes.
• -Japanese are growing out. Indians, Germans, everyone is making these changes because they see the commercial sector but they also see the Chinese and Russia. They’re coming to us and asking how we can partner up.

Commercial Space

• -Commercial space has proven to be profoundly important in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
• -Making sure that commercial industry is brought to bear is really important.
• -NGA and NRO are doing a fantastic job of leveraging commercial remote sensing.
• -Today there’s about 200 commercial satellites that do remote sensing and their capabilities are being brought to bear by the USG. Inside that bundle, is now commercial licensing that’s been approved for satellite to satellite imagery. I’m working we can leverage all this.

PLA Pace

• -The pacing challenge is racing to catch us. The CCP and PLA are moving really fast. Their speed, proficiency, and technical capabilities are almost like a snowball rolling down hill. They started very little and since 2000 to now, they have grown.
• -We know our adversary has operational concepts, doctrine, and executing training to extend war into space. We must be prepared every day for a war we hope never comes.