The Air Force is attempting to revamp the way space missions are handled in an effort to streamline operations and lessen the stress on airmen, said Maj. Gen. Martin Whelan, the service’s Ddirector of Ffuture Ooperations.
The plan has been dubbed "Space Mission Force," and is launching this month with a reorganization of the 50th Space Wing, to be followed by the 21st and 460th Space Wings.
"We’ve had a hard time integrating and synchronizing air, space, and cyber," said Whelan, adding that realigning the way space is handled will bring it more in line to other Air Force operations.
Speaking Friday at a breakfast hosted by the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute, Whelan said that part of the current problem is that the chain-of-command for space missions is sometimes dispersed, with combatant commanders requesting capabilities from the squadron level.
That leaves squadron leaders often having to pull people from other units they don't directly command in order to complete whatever the mission is, such as standing up a back-up control center for satellites, Whelan said.
"We're using people's good will and desire to succeed," Whelan said. "We need to clean it up so we use the chain of command and proper command and control structure."
The proposed Space Mission Force plan would re-align the chain-of-command so that all requests are handled at the wing level, where leaders do have the personnel and resources necessary to meet mission needs, the general said.
In addition, the reorganization would try to add some "home" time to space operations, Whelan said.
With a combat air force, the airmen will deploy downrange, stay in theater for a few months, then come back to base.
Maj. Gen. Martin Whelan serves as the director of future operations, deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
Photo Credit: Air Force
While at base, they have a chance to evaluate what happened on the deployment, any lessons they can learn, and any changes they can make before they deploy again.
But because space personnel "deploy in place" at the bases they're often already assigned to, Whelan said there's been a tendency to keep missions going 24/7 without any break to reevaluate and revamp strategy.
The airmen need downtime and they need time to prepare for the next deployment, he said, comparing it to the strain Remotely Piloted Aircraft operators are under.
"We have had those guys surging for 12 years and we're having a hard time retaining these guys because they're working 12 hour shifts six, seven days a week," Whelan said.
The Air Force could also set up complete space units in the Reserve or Air National Guard that could take over a deployment so an Active component wing would have more time for training, the general said.
Whelan said he believes the changes will have a positive effect on the Air Force's space abilities.
"You get to a better force, you get to a better mission capability, you get to a better posture with the Space Mission Force," he said.
