Transcripts For CSPAN3 Hearing Examines National Security Sp

Command. This is hearing of fiscal year 2018 priorities and National Security Space Enterprise. Were honored to have a panel of expert witnesses in our Space Program to join us here today and before i introduce them, though, want to take a moment to acknowledge that while i cant imagine there being a better place to work and for the subcommittee on the House Armed Services committee, apparently somebody thinks theres a better job on washington, d. C. This will be the last hearing that steve can tell you will be in his current position. Hes going to work for the secretary of defense, assistant secretary of defense for space policy. Our loss is the secretarys gain. So were going to miss him. Hes been with us for a long time. I know hell do a great job for our country in his next capacity as well. So good luck, buddy. This committee does a great job for our country. Lieutenant general david buck, betty sapp, director of National Reconnaissance office and robert cardillo, spacial intelligence agen agency. Say what . Assistant secretary for Defense Space policy. And after we finish this unclassified testimony, well adjourn to a closed session in an appropriate fashion. In secretary mattis confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Earlier this year, his official testimony stated, while our military maintains capable air, land and sea forces, the cyber and space domains demand an increasing share of our investment. And i fully agree with the secretarys statement. Our military and intelligent leaders have been clear in their warnings, some going back many years, that our use of space could be taken away from us in the next military conflict. However, we have not moved with the conviction and urgency to respond to these warnings and its left us with a growing crisis to confront in outer space. While i have the full faith in our witnesses today, i didnt have faith in the structure that they must work with. Meanwhile, china, for example, is advancing rapidly in space and counterspace and has established a new military organization to focus its space cyber and Electronic Warfare capabilities. Dr. John henry, former deputy secretary of defense stated in an earlier hearing to this subcommittee, quote, we are not well organized to meet with the new challenges in space. The old structure may have been sufficient when space was an uncontested area of operations. That time has passed. Again, i couldnt agree more. Ladies and gentlemen, now is the least capable of our adversaries will be in space and now is the time for reform even if its disrupted today. With that, i look forward to hearing all of your perspectives on space priorities and posture and thank you for being here and with us on this important topic. He recognize the Ranking Member mr. Cooper. Thank you, chairman. Id add my note of congratulations to steve. Well done. And i thank you for this hearing and appreciate your focus on strengthening americas Space Capabilities. Theres no more important goal. Many issues are before us and before the air force in particular but im glad were addressing them and i have bipartisan and joint and substantive fashion. I look forward to the testimony of the witnesses. Great. I now recognize our witnesses. The witnesses were asked to summarize their prepared statements submitted for the record without objection. So ordered. If could you take your statements and keep them to five minutes or less so we could get to questions, that would be awesome. General raymond, youre recognized. Thank you, general rogers, Ranking Member cooper and let me pile on and say congratulations to steve. We look forward to having you sitting here next to us next year. Distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for the honor to appear before you. Its my distinct privilege to lead and represent nearly 36,000 professional and dedicated airmen providing resilient and affordable space and cyberSpace Capabilities for our nation. Its also a distinct privilege to testify with my friends and panel of experts and close partners. This is a very exciting year for both the air force and air force Space Command. In 2017, september of 2017, our air force celebrates 70th birthday and air force Space Command celebrates 35th birthday, although as air force, weve been involved in space since 1954 and since the beginning. Weve come a long way and done a remarkable job in bringing space cape lts into joint work fighting. Theres nothing we do in a joint force that isnt enabled by space. Integration has been our strength. Nevertheless, we find ourselves at the intersection of high reliance and vulnerability the space domain. Its a air fighting demesne just like air, land, and sea. Deny us access to and the benefits of the space domain. Let me be very clear. We do not want a conflict that extends into space, but one way to keep that from happening is to make sure were prepared for it and be able to fight and win that conflict. I think it shouldnt be lost on anybody that our Space Program is the envy of the world. My near term priorities are fourfold. First in partnership with betty sapp, and proitd them with commanding control capability necessary to operate in a contested domain. Secondly, we must improve Space Situational Awareness transforming from cataloging focus to a fore fighting focus required of this domain. Third provide resilient and capable for the strategic environment we face. And finally we need to professionally develop air force commander airman. I thank you for your support, thank you for your active leadership and look forward to continuing to work closely with you in the years ahead. I also look forward to your questions. Thank you. Chairman now recognizes general book. Members of the subcommittee, thank you for your steadfast support for your omen and women in unifoorm, the space center, and this nation. Its now widely acknowledged that space is critical to our way of life. This coupled with an understanding of the compelling and compounding threats to our freedom of action in space is the burning platform to evolve our National Security Space Enterprise. We dont need a clean slate approach, but certainly an overhaul is necessary to guarantee our freedoms in, through, and from space. This is a challenge because our National Security Space Architecture and processes were hrjly conceived to provide services or commodities during an era when our most significant coorbital threat was debris. Given our threats, we no larger approach space with a simple mentality. Our foremost responsibility is to maintain space priority. This is a prerequisite to protecting and defending this space joint operating area and providing space combat engagement with joint forces across the globe. Over the past year weve made substantial progress, especially with respect to all Domain Operations and our ability to protect and defend the National Security Space Enterprise. We are better war fighters. There are, however, areas that continue continued focus and vigilance. We must continue to normalize operations across the enterprise. This includes Space Situational Awareness as well as improving space intelligence and providing well and robust warning. At the same time, we must review and update the associated authorities and rules of engagement for operations in space. And we must continue we must continue to push on, fielding required capabilities on operationally rel lnt time lines. Looking forward we are focused on freedom of action in space. It is imperative on our joint force. As a learning organization we will continue to review our approaches and organizational structures. We can accept no less because the speed and complexity of future fights demands organizations. Every challenge is an opportunity, and we have many opportunities in space. Freedom of action in space is not a birthright. It must be secured, and it must be preserved. This requires cobstant vigilance, strong partnerships, and active participation. I thank the committee. Thank you, mr. Buck. Thank you, chairman and distinguished members of the community. Thank you for the opportunity to be here from the National Congress office, the nro. We are the foundation the u. S. Global Situational Awareness. We contribute to global intelligence, military and Homeland Security operations while simultaneously assisting with the formation of National Policy and achieving diplomatic goals. We provide director support to u. S. Force fighters, help protect u. S. Borders and contribute significantly to isis and other Counter Terrorism operations worldwide. Our people are behind every Mission Success and provide the support we provide to commands, their Service Components and deployed tactical units. The integral work force is not just dedicated to mission but empowered to innovate. Invasion comes in many forms including using existing capabilities differently, developing new apps for our space and ground systems, and developing the new capabilities critical to closing intelligence gaps. Were also working with our Mission Partners to make sure we fully leverage capabilities. Its fully capable of delivering an increasingly capable integrated, ruzil i want and affordable architecture. We have control of every function required for the rnd that enables us to stay ahead of targets and threats to the acquisition of new space and ground capability to the adaptations used to respond to capabilities to respond to new and changing Mission Imperatives in the field. Were performing extremely well. All 15 of our major acquisitions agree, meaning theyre meeting or exceeding cost performance metrics. And we continue to improve our collection capabilities and the rusiliency to stay ahead of targets and threats. But staying ahead of the adversaries who threaten our space cape lts is a challenge. Those adversaries are making space a priority, investing heavily and assessing the risk necessary for rapid progress. The u. S. Has not been keeping pace. I believe we have not made the investment that indicates space priority are fundamental to the u. S. U. S. National security space is a team sport, and everyone on the team those in the executive branch and in the kroeg must do all they can to advance its capabilities and improve its resilience to threats. We must have processes that are integrated, that move faster, and demonstrate a greater risk tolerance. We must commit to space as a National Priority and imperative. This committally has been out in front trying to drive the changes required. Required to advance National Security space. The nro and the broader National Space community have people with a talent, commitment, and passion necessary to take us forward. We only need to empower and enable them to succeed. Mr. Chairman, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for your continued support of the National Recognizance Office its people, and its mission. Thank you. We now recognize mr. Car delo for five minutes. Thank you, Ranking Members of the committee. I too am pleased to testify before you today with my distinguished colleagues as a member of the National Security professionals. Mga is the primary provider of the space intelligence and the intelligence community. Our support to military services, combat and commands and war fighters include safety to navigation, precise targeting, disaster recovery, and taylored support just to name a few. I also have the job of being the functional manager. And iing strengthen the overall enterprise by ensuring those combatant needs are meant through future ventures. Into the key capabilities and functions our analysts require. Now, global persistent provides the architecture to manage these intelligence challenges and intelligence and Early Warning needed for decision advantage. It leverages the exwiset capabilities of the National Recognizance Office to hold strategic targets at risk. It also has the national capabilities. Now the explosion of data has driven the by combining all the of the daya now available to us and with the use of alga rgtms, automated processing, and machine to Machine Learning and artificial intelligence, we believe we can this will free our analysts to respond more time and focus on those hard intelligence problems. Getting to that poept will require significant investments in our it architecture as well as in our research and development. Not only is that data exploding. Data predicts over 9,000 commercial satellites will be launched compared to fewer than 1500 in the last ten years. Also we will partner with nro to mature and access. Through it we will identify and evaluate emerging commercial data and services against those needs that we capture and maintain. In closing, the National Security Space Enterprise and vital nga ability to provide war fighter and policy makers, to give them the space and operation time they need to do their job. Its only possible through the combined efforts of the ic, the department of defense, the eurgmerging industry and allied partners. Im happy to address any questions you may have, and im pleased to be here. Thank you, mr. Cardelo. Thank you for the opportunity to testify here today with my distinguished colleagues. In the months ahead understanding and addressing the imications of the growing threats in space is critical as this administration prepares the president s new National Security strategy and the National Defense are strategy and as congress carries out its responsibilities for oversight and funding of the programs and activities necessary to realize those strategies. No less important strategic success requires increased resources, an end to Defense Budget caps, an end to the yearslong partner of extended continuing resolutions and a return to strategyfocused resourcing. Today we consider Space Security in an era when russia and china provide access antiraid strategies to prevent crises and conflicts to undercut our ability to secure our interests. Diplomatic solutions remain our preferred option to settling the differences between divided nations. But americas space posture underwrites deterrence by enabling the usa military to project power globalally, respond to crises rapidly, strike swiftly and precisely, and command forces in multiple theaters simultaneously. Potential allies know well or many Space Systems that many perceive vulnerable. Some have concluded in times of conflict, may make an irresistible and most tempting choice. Disabusing them of such misguided notions is a strategic priority. That is why in the department of defense we are making such a concerted effort to strengthen the Mission Assurance of our Space Capabilities and to deny aggressors the benefits of attacks in space. We are changing our investments and operations and increasing our paerping with commercial entities and allies. More importantly, we are changing attitudes by recognizing that space is a war fighting domain and preparing ourselves to deter conflict in space and prevail if deterrence fails. Finally, i want to recognize this committees priority on strengthening National Security space, organization, management, and leadership. This question has the attention of the secretary and deputy secretary of defense. They expect to be presented with sound acknowledgement and a full rapg of operations and expect us to meet the deadline this june. In conclusion, i want to thank this committee for keeping the challenges of securing space before the public. I look forward to working together to ensure we have the right strategy and resources and the necessary programs, posture, and organizational structures to sustain deterrence, to prevail if deterrence fails and to increase the incentive nations have to settle their differences by peaceful means. Thank you. And i would add as the person acting in the job mr. Cutay will be doing, no one is happier to have him than i am. Thank you, mr. Hill. I recognize myself first for questions. And this will be a question for anybody thats willing to swing at it. We passed a law about ten years ago that directed how the operationally Responsive Space office would be run. And i heard that instead of being streamlined, ors options are still forced to go through traditional pentagon forces, so rather than a small number of Decision Makers focused on moving fast with respect to operation requirements and acquisition the recent meeting had 60 attendees with 54 more than we envisioned. To me this example is indignitive of the Space Organization and the cudzu, my word that comes in and strangles out the life. Its a situation where everyone can say no and no one can say that. How do we fix that . Chairman, thanks for the question. 60 people w