The National Space Defense Center has launched the NSDC Advanced Concept Experimentation, or NACE, program to drive innovation and optimize its space defense capabilities.
The U.S. Space Forces – Space said Tuesday the NACE program aims to enhance space operations and bolster intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Furthermore, the program intends to boost defensive cyber operations and command-and-control processes.
NSDC Advanced Concept Experimentation
NACE is a program designed to accelerate innovations and enhance operational capabilities through experimentation, which can be done through live operations or tabletop exercises involving space warfighters. The program focuses on enhancing mission execution and fostering warfighter mentality.
NACE uses an approach similar to the scientific method to formulate a hypothesis and create a scenario to test the hypothesis. The program also utilizes the concept of agile development sprint instead of the typical military process of exercise, training and test experience.
NACE Program Objectives
The NACE program aims to rehearse and refine C2 procedures for planning, executing and evaluating space, cyber, and intelligence operations. It is also meant to support real-world testing and the development of future capabilities. Another main objective of the program is to identify risks, issues and gaps in existing capabilities, processes and authorities supporting space operations.
Lt. Col. Jason Utulo, director of operations experimentation, stressed that the NACE experiments aim to integrate and synchronize with mission partners and enhance processes and operations.
“These experiments enable collaboration to see what processes enable tactical units the flexibility to achieve their warfighting functions,” Utulo added. “This will help understand what feedback mechanisms the center needs to fulfill Global C2/Battle Management obligations… and just get better at warfighting.”
