Chapter 1:  STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN OVERVIEW

The Strategic Master Plan is our 25-year blueprint for fielding, operating and blending space capabilities into a fully integrated Aerospace Force.

The Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Strategic Master Plan (SMP) is a long-term capstone planning document, describing the space capabilities required to achieve our Vision for a fully integrated Aerospace Force.  This chapter summarizes the primary changes from the 1998 edition.  It also describes the relationship of the SMP to other planning and programming documents and identifies various evolving developments and on-going planning initiatives.  The SMP is written as an unclassified document with a separate classified annex to promote the widest dissemination.

1.1      Purpose


The SMP serves several purposes as highlighted in Figure 1-1. First, it documents our Vision “end state”, identifying the capabilities needed over the next 25 years, with emphasis on the value to the combatant commander. It also lays out our phased strategy for implementing the Vision, setting the appropriate focus areas to obtain key mission improvements over time, while developing the 21st century aerospace warrior and infrastructure key to the success of our Vision. The document summarizes the results of our Integrated Planning Process (IPP) by providing a variety of “roadmaps” for implementing the plan. It provides a link between planning, requirements, programming and budgeting by identifying specific implementation actions. The SMP provides guidance to Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Product Centers and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to ensure concept and technology development efforts are synchronized. Additionally, the SMP serves as the foundation for our inputs to Air Staff planning and programming documents such as the Annual Planning and Programming Guidance (APPG) and the Air Force Program Projection (AFPP). In summary, the SMP provides a sense of direction that keeps us on the path for achieving the Vision.

Figure 1-1: SMP guides development of space capabilities for a fully integrated Aerospace Force


1.2      Scope


The SMP addresses each of AFSPC’s mission areas. Throughout the document, these areas are addressed in terms of the desired end state capabilities needed to meet AFSPC’s long-range vision. As shown in Figure 1-2, AFSPC’s missions are organized into five mission areas: Force Enhancement, Space Support, Space Control, Force Applications and Mission Support.

Force Enhancement focuses on capabilities that enable or support military air, land, sea and space operations. Force Enhancement consists of six sub-mission areas: space-based Navigation, Satellite Communications (SATCOM), Environmental Monitoring (EM), Surveillance and Threat Warning (S&TW), Command and Control (C2) and Information Operations (IO).

Space Support focuses on providing the critical infrastructure, capabilities and technologies that enable the Force Enhancement, Space Control and Force Applications Mission Areas to effectively perform their missions. Space Support consists of two sub-mission areas: Launch Operations and Satellite Operations. In addition, Space Support is the champion for Modeling, Simulation and Analysis (MS&A) as well as Force Development Evaluation (FDE).

Space Control focuses on capabilities to gain and maintain control of activities conducted in or through space. Space Control includes three sub-mission areas: Space Surveillance, Counterspace and National Missile Defense (NMD).

Force Applications focuses on missions carried out by weapons systems operating in or through space for holding terrestrial targets at risk. Force Applications includes both nuclear and conventional strike capabilities.

As Figure 1-2 shows, our Mission Support functional areas cut across all of our mission areas and provide the required foundation. The six Mission Support functional areas addressed in this SMP are: Communications and Information; Civil Engineering; Logistics; Security Forces; Space Training, Education and Exercise (STEDE); and Medical.

Figure 1-2: Mission and Mission Support areas encapsulate AFSPC capabilities


1.3      Changes from 1998 SMP


This SMP is entitled the Strategic Master Plan for FY02 and Beyond. The title of the document has changed to reflect its long range focus and to highlight its impact on the resource allocation process. It lays out a 25-year plan for achieving the AFSPC Vision and is intended to influence the FY02-07 Program Objective Memorandum (POM).

New results are presented from the latest cycle of the two-year AFSPC IPP. The Vision, Current Capabilities and Strategy chapters have been modified slightly to incorporate our evolving emphasis on IO. The remaining chapters, however, present new results including our updated set of prioritized Needs and new roadmaps reflecting our proposed solutions resulting from the 1998-1999 IPP. A cost-constrained Mission Support Roadmap and associated assessment are included for the first time in this SMP.

In addition, this SMP includes tighter linkage between planning and programming than earlier versions. We have provided specific guidance and programming priorities for consideration by AFSPC, AFMC and AFRL programmers during their respective POM developments.

Finally, we’ve added a classified Annex to this version of the SMP, under separate cover, to address the interrelationship and synergy between National and Air Force space programs and associated plans.


1.4      Relationship to Other Documents


Figure 1-3 depicts the relationship of the SMP to other documents that either guide, are produced through, or are influenced by our IPP. (Appendix A provides an overview of the four-phased IPP.) AFSPC’s Mission Area Plans (MAP) and Mission Support Plan (MSP), the Product Centers’ Development Plans (DP) and AFRL’s Science and Technology (S&T) Plan are produced during the IPP in support of the SMP. The SMP presents our desired investment plans and strategies to the Air Force corporate structure (panels, Air Force Group, Board of Directors, etc.) to influence the Air Staff planning and programming documents. The SMP also provides guidance for the AFSPC and S&T POMs to support development of the Air Force POM.

The United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) Long Range Plan (LRP) and the Integrated Priority Lists (IPL) from each of the supported Commanders-in-Chief (CINCs) define key warfighting capabilities that are addressed during the IPP. Chapter 7 includes an evaluation of how well our SMP supports these warfighting capabilities.

Figure 1-3: The SMP provides integrated, fiscally-constrained planning information to the requirements, programming and budgeting processes.


1.5      Relationship to Evolving Developments and Planning Initiatives


Several other major planning initiatives are underway to define how the Air Force will be organized and based in the future, what the missions will be and how those missions will be performed in relation to other agencies and the commercial sector. Key developments and initiatives are listed in Figure 1-4. A summary of each initiative is included in Appendix B.

Results of these developments and initiatives will guide our planning efforts and will be reflected in future editions of our MAPs, MSP and SMP. Specific near-term actions related to these developments and initiatives are included in the Action Plan, Chapter 9.

Figure 1-4: Evolving developments and initiatives will impact future AFSPC planning


1.6      Document Flow


Figure 1-5 outlines the flow of the SMP. Following the Executive Summary and the SMP Overview, we present our Vision and desired end states for each mission area. Chapter 3 identifies our current missions, systems and capabilities. Next, Chapter 4 identifies the AFSPC prioritized Needs that must be satisfied to achieve our Vision.

Chapter 5 describes our phased implementation strategy, which sets the emphasis for obtaining the required warfighting improvements over the 25-year planning period to satisfy the Needs listed in Chapter 4.

Chapter 6 presents our Integrated Phased Implementation Plan for achieving our Vision. This chapter consists of an integrated modernization roadmap depicting the critical milestones for program and system development, a cost profile and several supporting roadmaps.

Chapter 7 provides an assessment of how well the implementation plan satisfies AFSPC Needs, the USSPACECOM LRP Operational Concepts and the CINC IPLs.

Chapter 8 provides prioritized programming and budgeting guidance for use by AFSPC programmers, the Air Staff, Product Centers and AFRL to keep us on the appropriate path to achieve our Vision. Specific near-term actions needed to successfully implement the plan are identified in the Action Plan, Chapter 9.

Finally, under separate cover, the classified annex addresses the interrelationship and synergy between National and Air Force space programs.


Figure 1-5: Document Flow

Main

Executive Summary    Table Of Contents

Chapter 2    Chapter 3     Chapter 4    Chapter 5    Chapter 6     Chapter 7    Chapter 8    Chapter 9

Appendix A    Appendix B    Appendix C     Appendix D    Appendix E    Appendix F