For the past year, the United States Space Force has been collaborating with the Air Force and Navy to develop an advanced and realistic training and testing environment for space operations, akin to the existing system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The goal is to create a similar capability for the space domain.
Colonel Corey Klopstein, the program executive officer for Operational Test and Training Infrastructure at Space Systems Command, indicated that discussions began last year with the Air Force’s Advanced Training Capabilities Division regarding the Space Force’s involvement in the effort known as the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE). The Space Force has since joined the JSE user group and is working with the program office to incorporate space capabilities into the simulation framework to eventually build its own advanced test and training capability.
Klopstein emphasized the importance of providing space effects to the joint warfighter to validate their effectiveness in training events and exercises during a speaking engagement on March 5 at the Air Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado. He mentioned that a high-fidelity environment is crucial not only for validating system performance against expected threats but also for refining tactics.
The JSE has been primarily developed in association with the F-35, with one operational system presently located at Patuxent Naval Air Station in Maryland. A second system is set to become operational soon at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, with plans for the capability to expand to all F-35 bases in the future.
As the services continue to expand their JSE capabilities, the overarching goal is for the system to serve as the premier training environment for both U.S. and coalition partners. Collaboratively, they aim to incorporate simulated space scenarios into this environment, which could include aspects of space-enabled electronic warfare, navigation, and communications.
Klopstein described the ongoing work as essential, stating that the Space Force is funding efforts to develop standards and specifications to integrate space capabilities into the JSE. In the longer term, the Space Force is drafting plans for a distinct advanced simulation capability tailored to its needs. Currently, the Space Force possesses various training devices, but they largely remain unconnected, hindering the ability for guardians assigned to different missions to train collaboratively.
The Space Force is working on creating distributed or cross-mission training systems and has utilized a framework called Swarm for large tactical training exercises such as Space Flag.
Realistic simulation is critical for the Space Force’s testing processes, which rely on virtual systems to ensure that satellites and other space capabilities function as intended. Unlike other services that can directly test capabilities in their operational environments, the Space Force faces limitations in validating its systems in space, making its ground-based testing infrastructure increasingly vital.
Klopstein highlighted the need for advanced simulations that account for a more congested and threatening space environment. He stated the importance of gathering quantifiable data to ensure that systems can perform effectively in such a dynamic context.
While the Space Force has not finalized what its unique JSE might look like or set a specific timeline, Klopstein expressed a desire to learn from the Air Force’s experience with the JSE. He stated that the partnership initiated with the Air Force will continue to evolve, potentially leading to the development of a synthetic and high-fidelity training environment tailored for the Space Force.
Courtney Albon is C4ISRNET’s space and emerging technology reporter, having covered the U.S. military since 2012, with a focus on both the Air Force and Space Force. She has reported on significant acquisition, budget, and policy challenges within the Department of Defense.
