National security in the space domain continues to expand its operational coordination and capabilities between the U.S. Space Command and allied nations. A multi-national space force, a strategic defense partnership between several nations including the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, operate together at the Combined Space Operations Center. Additional nations collaborating on space operations with the CSpOC include Germany, France and New Zealand.
USSPACECOM maintains strong international alliances
and partnerships to conduct operations in and through the space domain. Given
the increasing complexity of the space environment, the coalition provides a
unified response to a variety of threats presented in the warfighting domain of
space. The CSpOC is primed to conduct such operations.
The CSpOC, which reports to the Combined Force
Space Component Command – a subordinate command to the newly re-established
USSPACECOM – executes the operational command and control of space forces to achieve
theater and global objectives. It operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week,
continuously coordinating, planning, integrating, synchronizing and executing
space operations; providing tailored space effects on demand to support
combatant commanders; and accomplishing national security objectives.
Recently, New Zealand space operations
representatives attended CFSCC’s weekly Products Brief (CPB), the operational
forum where Coalition space strategy is synchronized, and CFSCC’s Master Space
Plan and Combined Space Tasking Order are communicated and approved. This
was the first time the CPB occurred at the truly “Five Eyes” level of
integration. Five Eyes is a military term used to describe intelligence sharing
and collaboration between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the
United States.
The second historic milestone occurred when Deputy
Director of CSpOC, Group Captain Darren Whiteley – a Royal Air Force officer
from the United Kingdom – signed the weekly Combined Space Tasking Order. It
was the first time a coalition partner signed the order under Operation Olympic
Defender (OOD) tasking the CFSCC subordinate units. OOD, which is a
multi-national effort intended to strengthen deterrence, optimize space
operations, improve mission assurance, enhance resilience and optimize space
assets by engaging with U.S. government partners and allies, involves sharing
information, data and resources. It is a method for partners to leverage and
synchronize existing capabilities. CSpOC stood up in July 2018 to create a
unity of effort in space operations across the Department of Defense, U.S.
interagency, allies, commercial and civil space partners. Adding allies to OOD,
builds upon the success of the CSpOC and enhances the overall command’s
capability to collectively defend vital assets in space.
“Allied partnerships are critical to defending our assets at home and in the space domain,” Whiteley said. “The threat is expanding and international collaboration is essential to strengthen deterrence against hostile actors. Through these partnerships we are able to expand the depth and multiply the effects we can have to those evolving threats.”
Source: USSPACECOM
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