Warfighting, collaboration demoed at NSTTC Users’ Conference

  • Published
  • Space Training and Readiness Command Public Affairs
PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Space Delta 11 held its annual National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Users’ Conference from June 4-7, 2024, concentrating on current and future range and aggressor users.

The event aimed to educate attendees on range and aggressor capabilities, provide onboarding guidance, and foster discussions among key stakeholders who rely on Delta 11 for realistic training.

The NSTTC integrates various test and training range services across multiple environments. Unlike traditional air and ground ranges, it combines space and ground nodes to create unique environments tailored to specific testing and training needs.

U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. Todd Moore, former deputy commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, opened the conference by emphasizing the importance of realistic training environments.

“From the very beginning of standing up STARCOM and developing operational test and training infrastructure, it was clear this was one of the most important investments we needed to make,” Moore said. “If we don’t have a place where we can punish each other for bad decisions, where we can acknowledge what does and does not work, we are never going to be ready for combat.”

Delta 11 officials stated that this year’s conference aimed to identify warfighter needs and align range capabilities to enhance combat readiness and effectiveness.

Over 300 attendees, including space professionals and industry leaders, convened to discuss initiatives across multiple NSTTC domains, including space electromagnetic warfare, orbital warfare, and cyber and digital operations.

Domain-specific working groups were organized to provide detailed insights, encourage collaboration, and address essential requirements for diverse operations.

The conference featured a capabilities event, offering demonstrations of NSTTC equipment such as the 25th Space Range Squadron’s Range Closed Loop Environment, Transportable Range Operations Center, the 57th Space Aggressor Squadron’s Aggressor Relative Trajectory System, 98th Space Range Squadron’s Range Control Software and HARRIER Command and Control Software, and the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron’s SATCOM EMI Demo.

The NSTTC Cyber Range also hosted a “Capture the Flag” event for conference participants.

Delta 11 commander, U.S. Space Force Col. Jay Steingold, said the conference successfully established new relationships and initiated dialogues with a diverse group of Department of Defense personnel and industry partners.

“Delta 11 is dedicated to advancing our capabilities and ensuring our warfighters are prepared for the challenges of today and tomorrow,” Steingold said. “This conference is a testament to our commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration across the space domain.”
 
The vision for the NSTTC is built around four focus areas: Service Capability, Joint Applicability, Integrated Test, and Threat Representation. These areas ensure that the NSTTC provides interconnected, scalable, and distributed physical and digital ranges for full-spectrum test and training, helping space warfighters develop, validate, and sharpen joint warfighting solutions to prevail in conflict.

 

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