Space Force training, readiness shine at I/ITSEC

Published Dec. 6, 2024
Space Training and Readiness Command Public Affairs

ORLANDO, Fla. (AFNS) -- Maj. Gen. Tim Sejba, commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, shared a forward-looking vision for the command at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, Dec. 3. Sejba kicked off I/ITSEC 2024 as part of a panel, joined by joint and international senior leaders.

As the Space Force considers its future needs for modeling and simulation — spanning wargaming, training, and high-end testing — it is apparent that complex systems and integrated threats in both space and cyberspace require new approaches.

“When you think about many of the space systems and the effects that we provide for the joint force and our allies, we have to be able to counter both the space and cyber threat significantly differently than we have in the past,” Sejba said. “I’m continually reminded by some of my Air Force mentors that building out the ranges that the Air Force has did not happen overnight. It happened over many decades to get to what we have at Nellis [AFB] and other ranges today.”

The first step is putting in the right infrastructure to enable integrated training, he noted.

“In a benign environment, which we operated for many decades, we could develop individual trainers … positional trainers that allowed crews to get very proficient to do their daily jobs, day in and day out,” Sejba said. “But that didn’t necessarily integrate a threat into that environment the way we face threats today.”

He highlighted how the Space Force, as a deployed-in-place force, operates most of its capability from the United States, requiring integrated units to address electronic warfare challenges in ways unlike traditional force deployments.

Training infrastructure forms the foundation, but effective execution is the next step. Sejba emphasized the need to build realistic and timely training scenarios that align with the timelines of joint and allied forces.

“We must look at how we actually build out training and threat scenarios to make sure that we’re on the same timelines as the rest of our joint force and allied partners,” he said, noting the importance of providing ‘red threat’ aggressor Guardians. “Our aggressors bring the threat of how we are actually going to represent and deny space capability, so we understand how to operate in that contested environment. We have to be able to do this digitally, and we’ll have to provide that to large-scale exercises, both today and in the future.”

Sejba praised the Space Force’s ability to attract top talent, noting that the average age of new enlisted Guardians is 24, with many already holding degrees.

“We know that we already have a highly technical force,” Sejba said. “Challenging them as early as basic military training to understand the environment and the domain that they're going to have to operate in is really important.”

The September stand-up of the service’s new Officer Training Course represents a pivotal step in the continued development of its officer Guardians, Sejba added.

STARCOM is also preparing for a significant transition as it relocates its headquarters, Sejba said.

“Earlier this year, the Secretary of the Air Force announced that we would move from our temporary location in Colorado Springs, down here to Florida — just down the street at Cocoa Beach and Patrick Space Force Base,” Sejba noted. “At the same time as we move the headquarters, we’re laser-focused on making sure combat credibility stays at the front edge.”

Events like I/ITSEC represent the opportunity for continued partnership across the military, academic, and industry enterprises, Sejba said.

“It’s a great honor to represent our service,” he said, reflecting on the Space Force’s rapid evolution since its founding in 2019. “Combat credibility is one of the key things we are focused on, certainly in an era of Great Power Competition. As we approach our fifth anniversary on Dec. 20, I encourage everyone to reflect on how far we’ve come in preparing Guardians and combat-critical capabilities for the high-end threats we now face, and how we’re going to support the joint force and our allies differently than we ever had to.”

Space Training and Readiness Command prepares combat-ready USSF forces to prevail in competition and conflict through innovative education, training, doctrine, and test. The command, established in 2021, is comprised of five Space Deltas, and develops superior space capabilities, delivers warfighting solutions, and prepares every Guardian.