PNT Delta redesignated as Mission Delta 31

Published Oct. 16, 2024
By John Ayre

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- Position, Navigation and Timing Provisional Delta officially redesignated as Mission Delta 31 in a ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base Oct. 15, presided by U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. David N. Miller Jr., commander of Space Operations Command.

Guardians from the 31st Sustainment Squadron render a first salute to Colonel Andrew Menschner, Mission Delta 31 commander, during a redesignation ceremony at Peterson SFB, Colo., Oct 15, 2024. During the ceremony, the former Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Provisional Delta was officially redesignated as Mission Delta 31. The 31st Sustainment Squadron was also activated during the ceremony and is responsible for the sustainable support, updates, maintenance and modifications to our operational systems. (U.S. Space Force photo by John Ayre) — Guardians from the 31st Sustainment Squadron render a first salute to Col. Andrew Menschner, Mission Delta 31 commander, during a redesignation ceremony at Peterson SFB, Colo., Oct. 15, 2024. During the ceremony, the former Position, Navigation and Timing Provisional Delta was officially redesignated as Mission Delta 31. The 31st Sustainment Squadron was also activated during the ceremony and is responsible for the sustainable support, updates, maintenance and modifications to our operational systems. (U.S. Space Force photo by John Ayre)

The ceremony marks the activation of the United States Space Force’s first integrated mission delta, which merges operational activities with sustainment capabilities, as well as integrates intelligence support directly into the unit.

"This represents the change in warfighter mindset. We provide a critical capability called navigation warfare, where we deliver PNT through a contested environment and operate through almost any threat,” Miller said. “Many people think it's just precision guided munitions. It is the timing signal associated with our coding schemes. It is the security upon which our baseline defenses depend. Many things depend on a signal from GPS, and all of it starts with Mission Delta 31.”

Initially stood up as provisional on Oct. 13, 2023, the delta will continue to provide, operate and sustain high-integrity PNT capabilities to protect our nation’s interests and assure an unparalleled global utility of the Global Positioning Satellite constellation, but with additional units dedicated to future capability development. Remaining under command of Col. Andrew Menschner, MD 31 will function as a vital bridge connecting operations, engineering and capability development experts.

“The men and women of Mission Delta 31 are focused on mission readiness in a way that was not possible just a few years ago,” Menschner said. “I think our delta motto, ‘we know the way’, says it best. A key aspect of resiliency in the GPS system is making sure our team is ready to respond to the unexpected. We're training our operators using intelligence-based scenarios, bringing every bit of capability out of fielded systems and developing new tactics and the ability to test them. We're combining operations, acquisition and sustainment under unified command. Together, we did great things as the PNT Delta provisional. I’m excited to be the commander for Mission Delta 31 because I know what this team will accomplish in the next year.”

The new MD 31 flag was unveiled during the ceremony and includes components such as the Polaris star and southern cross, which represent centuries of humanity looking to the stars for navigation, as well as its critical role in driving the course of progress, then, now and in the future.

For more on MD 31, view the fact sheet here.