COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Space Delta 11, the U.S. Space Force’s Range and Aggressor Delta, hosted its inaugural National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) User's Conference from June 5-9, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Throughout the conference, Delta 11 introduced the NSTTC - "Global Space Range" to mission partners and customers. The NSTTC provides space warfighters with an interconnected, scalable, and distributed physical and digital platform for full-spectrum testing and training. This setup helps to develop, validate, and hone joint warfighter solutions crucial for prevailing in conflicts.
“As we begin the development of the National Space Test and Training Complex, it's imperative that we incorporate our users into the process to create a realistic environment for testing and training," said U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Justin Fernandez, 11th Delta Operations Squadron commander. "This necessitates emphasizing the ‘User’s Conference,’ as this event is specifically designed for them."
The NSTTC User’s Conference serves as an annual forum where range users can learn about NSTTC's on-boarding procedures, scheduling, and capabilities, thereby allowing users to better communicate their mission requirements.
The event saw over 190 attendees from 75 organizations. Space warfighters and industry leaders nationwide convened to discuss both current and future initiatives across multiple NSTTC domains, including space electromagnetic warfare, orbital warfare, cyber and digital. Domain-specific working groups were held to inform range users, stimulate collaboration, and develop requirements.
In addition, Delta 11 held a capabilities event where attendees could partake in a hands-on demonstration of NSTTC equipment. Showcased capabilities included the Range Closed Loop Environment (RCLE), Transportable Range Operations Center (TROC), Deployable Range Suite (DRS), Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), and the HARRIER system. The NSTTC Cyber Range also hosted a "Capture the Flag" event for conference participants.
“The Space Force and Delta 11 must build numerous NSTTC ranges to establish credibility in our nation’s space mission systems and combat professionals,” said U.S. Space Force Col. Kyle Pumroy, Delta 11 commander. “We are striving to create a national test and training range swiftly and predominantly from scratch. This task is challenging, and it will be substantially more difficult if we do not collaborate as an enterprise team. This User’s Conference was a crucial step towards aligning a multi-service, multi-agency enterprise team for mission success.”
Delta 11 was activated on Aug. 23, 2021, at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado. It comprises five squadrons including the 11th Delta Operations Squadron, 25th Space Range Squadron, 57th Space Aggressor Squadron, 98th Space Range Squadron and 527th Space Aggressor Squadron with a mission to provide realistic, threat-informed test and training environments. This is achieved through live, virtual, and constructive range and combat replication capabilities, aiming to prepare the USSF, joint, and allied forces to succeed in a Contested, Degraded, and Operationally-Limited (CDO) environment.