Sunday Report 14 December 2025

The Week In National Security Air and Space

Spacepower Conference

Space Force readying multi-source acquisition for satellites to track aircraft. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink announced that the Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office are now working together on Airborne Moving Target Indication (AMTI), crafting an acquisition strategy based on multiple contract awards for developing and fielding satellites that can track aircraft and drones. “It’s going to be a competitive acquisition, probably be multiple awards to different contractors so we don’t end up with a single source. So that’s what we’re going through right now,” Meink added. “We’re gonna start building the capability pretty quickly.”

Space Force rolls out new naming scheme for satellites and space weapons. At Spacepower 2025, Chief of Space Operations Gen Chance Saltzman announced that the service will begin assigning nicknames to operational systems in an effort to create a cultural anchor. The seven mission areas are as follows: 1) orbital from the Norse pantheon; 2) cyber from mythological creatures; 3) electromagnetic systems from serpents; 4) navigation from sharks; 5) missile warning from sentinels; 6) space domain awareness systems from ghosts; and 7) satellite communications systems from constellations.

SSC to begin outlining acquisition reform plans in early 2026. Early in 2026, Space Force plans to provide “inputs” to the Defense Department’s top acquisition office on how it will streamline and accelerate its acquisition efforts in response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive last month aimed at getting capabilities and services from industry faster, the head of Space Systems Command (SSC) said on December 10. Lt Gen Philip Garrant also expects these changes will “more tightly integrate” the Service.

Congress / White House

House passes defense spending bill. On December 10, the House voted 312-112 to advance the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The chamber approved the cross-chamber compromise version of the bill, which authorizes $900.6B in defense spending, $8B over the White House’s request. The Senate is now expected to vote on the bill and send it to the President before holiday break.

DoD / Other Services

DoD weighs consolidation of DIU tech portfolio. The Pentagon is reviewing the Defense Innovation Unit’s broad technology portfolio, potentially reshaping its space projects. Emil Michael, Undersecretary for Research and Engineering, said his office is assessing DIU and related organizations to align investments with six critical technology areas: 1) applied artificial intelligence; 2) biomanufacturing; 3) contested logistics; 4) quantum and battlefield information dominance; 5) scaled directed energy; and 6) scaled hypersonics. DIU connects commercial space firms to defense needs across communications, sensors, logistics and launch innovation, but the new framework favors cross‑domain, near‑term operational payoff. Michael questioned whether DIU runs too many programs and noted duplication across the Pentagon’s innovation ecosystem and service absorption.

Golden Dome

Significant addition to Golden Dome capabilities underway. The Space Force is requesting prototype proposals for space-based interceptors that can destroy a missile during the midcourse phase of flight, on top of its previous efforts to develop interceptors that take down missiles in their boost phase. The prototype effort is focused only on kinetic solutions rather than non-kinetic systems that use directed energy to intercept a missile. Space-based interceptors present one of Golden Dome’s bigger technical lifts. The technology behind space-based interceptors has been demonstrated through past efforts like “Brilliant Pebbles” and the Strategic Defense Initiative, but it is still new and requires maturation. The bigger challenge, Golden Dome Director Gen Michael Guetlein said, is scaling that technology and making it affordable. He also added that achieving that will require a change to the department’s “warfighting culture” that demands exquisite, highly lethal kit with such a high cost that the Pentagon can’t afford to buy it in large numbers.

Limited aspects of Golden Dome on-track for deployment in 2028. Golden Dome Director Gen Michael Guetlein confirmed plans to deliver an “operational capability” to defend against advanced threats by 2028. However, he shared that their biggest obstacle is cultural, not technical. He said Golden Dome does not have a technology problem, because all of the elements have been proven out, but “the real challenge is, how do I bring together capabilities that have never been integrated and networked together into a system of systems-type architecture.”

International

NATO accelerator selects companies for Resilient Space Operations challenge. The NATO Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) named 150 companies across 24 countries for the six-month program aimed at boosting the development of novel dual-use solutions across 10 technology areas. Of this cohort, 15 companies comprise the Resilient Space Operations challenge area.

Threats

Chinese sustains intense launch pace. China launched four missions in four days last week, accelerating its record-setting launch cadence. The launches utilized three different launch sites across China and various boosters using various propellant types. The launches were orbital attempts 78-81 for China in 2025, having already surpassed its previous record of launches in a calendar year of 68, set in 2024. The period of intense launches is set to continue, with at least three additional launches to occur soon.

Reusable launchers added soon to China’s arsenal. China has taken delivery of its first sea-based platform designed to recover rockets using a net system, adding a key element to national plans for reusable launch vehicles. Commercial manufacturers in China are also advancing hardware for reuse. Multiple Chinese rocket developers have now completed essential vertical takeoff and vertical landing tests as they prepare for operational reusable launchers supported by sea-based recovery assets. The ability to successfully launch and recover space launch boosters is important geopolitically and economically for China, as it will allow it to continue its drive for dominance in the space domain.

The Week Ahead

Monday, 15 December

NSSA NSIC Space Threats Circuit Briefing December 2025 (TS//SI-G/TK//RSEN/ORCON/NOFORN). Herndon, VA. (more)

Tuesday, 16 December

NSSA Space Deterrence Forum (TS/SCI) w/ Lt Gen Doug Schiess, Maj Gen Anthony Mastalir, Maj Gen Brian Sidari, Col Bryon McClain, Robert Shaffer, Dr. Jonah Victor, et. al. Chantilly, VA. (more)