T he DoD historically has struggled with software acquisitions that meet operational and user require- ments on relevant timelines. A culture with rigid processes, a lack of user en- gagement during development, and resistance to change has resulted in cost overruns, schedule delays, and subpar performance.
The U.S. Space Force (USSF) vision for a digital Service aims to address archaic and outdated modes of field- ing capabilities to operators and War- fighters. The ground software acquisi- tion within Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications (ESS) will provide joint Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) capabilities for survivable, secure, protected, and jam-resistant strategic satellite com- munication. That acquisition effort has faced challenges in developing secure code that meets NC3 standard requirements while also ensuring that industry best practices are utilized to reduce fielding risks. The adoption of agile best prac- tices within the ESS software acqui- sition represents the steps the USSF is taking to emphasize innovation, Warfighter optimization, and rapid data analysis to ensure space su- periority and support the National The ESS system will provide the primary strategic satellite communi- cations (SATCOM) capability for the NC3 mission in all operational envi- ronments. ESS will provide resources for select international partners, as approved by DoD. The system is composed of a Space and Crypto- graphic Segment and a Ground and User Segment. Defense Strategy. What is ESS? The ESS Ground Resilient Integra- tion and Framework for Operational NC3 (GRIFFON) is the Ground Seg- ment and Systems Integration com- ponent of ESS. System of Systems
Integra- tion (SoSI)
is the technical system integration effort to support the government in its role as the lead system integrator between the ground, space, crypto- graphic, and user terminal compo- nents. This ESS system component was created as a direct result of lessons learned from the Overhead Persistent Infrared community to bal- ance out challenges the government historically faced as Lead Integrator. ESS is a pathfinder and was one of DoD’s first multi-acquisition path programs of record. The dual paths were chosen to deliver next-genera- tion capability faster and with better value to American taxpayers. ESS uti- lized the Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) pathway for rapid prototyping of the space payload, antennas and processors to mature the Technol- ogy Readiness Level (TRL); the MTA will transition to a Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) at the conclu- sion of the ongoing space segment source selection. An MCA pathway was used for the cryptographic acquisition, in a partnership with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Com- mand, Control, Communications, In- telligence and Networks Directorate, Cryptographic and Cyber Systems Di- vision. ESS utilized multiple Software Acquisition Pathways authorized by the FY 2020 National Defense Au- thorization Act for the ground frame- work and mission applications, as a balance between speed and rigor that
March-April 2025 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION | 49
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