U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) stood up the organization’s new Satellite Communications (SATCOM) System Delta (SYD 88) through an assumption of command ceremony at Los Angeles Air Force Base.
The new SYD supports SSC’s Military Communications and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Program Executive Office in delivering integrated narrowband, tactical, and strategic satellite communications acquisition capabilities for the USSF and joint warfighters.
The new SYD 88 contains three System Program directors (SPDs), positions formerly known as Senior Materiel Leaders, corresponding to Strategic SATCOM systems, Tactical SATCOM systems, and Narrowband SATCOM systems. In addition to the SPDs, SYD 88 includes direct report System Program Managers (SPM), formerly known as Materiel Leaders.
The SPDs and SPMs are focused on developing and fielding satellites, ground control segments, data systems, and software capabilities to deliver asymmetric, all-domain SATCOM superiority for the President of the United States, joint forces, and international partners and allies.
SYDs consolidate the design, development, and delivery of systems under a mission-focused command structure for acquisitions. SYDs are complementary to SpOC’s Mission Deltas, which are responsible for the operations and sustainment of space systems, and will consolidate all aspects of mission-area readiness under SSC’s current PEO organizational construct. This new alignment combines current SSC Acquisition Deltas into SYDs that have mission sets aligned to SpOC MDs performing mission generation, intelligence support, and cyber defense.
The aligned MD and SYD organizations are structured to work together to improve mission readiness, achieve unity of command and effort, to secure our Nation’s interests in, from, and to space. Additional SSC SYDs are slated for stand-up completing the synchronization of acquisition efforts for new capabilities.
USSF Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, SSC commander, presided over the ceremony, at which USSF Col. A.J. Ashby assumed command of SYD 88. “As a field command, we have since realigned our acquisition authorities to the appropriate levels, streamlining decision making and eliminating inefficient and ineffective processes,” said Garrant. “By doing so, we amplified our lean and agile service to be better positioned to deliver new capabilities at the speed of relevance.”
We must deliver on this no fail mission. War-winning combat operations require the ability to shoot, move, and communicate through the conflict continuum in benign contested and nuclear environments,” said Ashby to the personnel of the newly formed System Delta. “This is an all-hands-on-deck endeavor and each of you have a role in assuring that we continue to outpace the threat and assure the United States remains the strongest and most lethal force in the world. We will build a culture that forges high-performing teams to deliver rapid, resilient, and flexible military SATCOM response options to the President of the United States, the Joint Force, and international partners at the speed of relevance. We’ll be threat-driven and risk-informed. We’ll be relentless in the pursuit of principled acquisition excellence and mission area expertise, and uncompromising in our execution with a laser focus on delivering threat-relevant systems, within threat-relevant timelines, that complicate our adversaries’ space order of battle, increase their cost of competition, and shape their perspectives of U.S. space warfighting capabilities.”
