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By Space and Missile Systems Center Public Affairs / Published July 15, 2021
Lt. Col. Edward Jones, Enterprise Corps Space Command and Control Mission Integration Materiel Leader, briefs United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP, during a U.K. delegation visit during a Space and Missile Systems Center overview presentation at the Gordon Conference Center on Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. Experts from each of SMC’s Corps briefed the U.K. delegation on topics such as SpaceWERX, International Space Pitch Day and Small Satellite Launch capabilities. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, Space and Missile Systems Center commander and program executive officer for Space, speaks to the visiting U.K. delegation and other attendees of a Space and Missile Systems Center overview presentation focusing on future collaborative efforts in the space domain at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin also met with Wallace where the two signed a one-year extension of the U.S.-U.K. Statement of Intent Regarding Enhanced Cooperation on Carrier Operations and Maritime Power Projection, reaffirming the strong relationship between the two nations. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Lt. Col. Grant Spear, Production Corps Materiel Leader, briefs United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP, during a Space and Missile Systems Center overview presentation at the Gordon Conference Center on Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. Experts from each of SMC’s Corps briefed the U.K. delegation on topics such as SpaceWERX, International Space Pitch Day and Small Satellite Launch capabilities. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, Space and Missile Systems Center commander and program executive officer for Space, right, speaks with United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP, during a U.K. delegation visit focusing on future collaborative efforts in the space domain at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin also met with Wallace where the two signed a one-year extension of the U.S.-U.K. Statement of Intent Regarding Enhanced Cooperation on Carrier Operations and Maritime Power Projection, reaffirming the strong relationship between the two nations. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Gen. Sir Patrick Sanders, U.K. Strategic Command commander, conducts an interview with a member from media during a Space and Missile Systems Center overview presentation at the Gordon Conference Center on Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. Multiple media representatives from different U.K. news agencies attended the event. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Emily Cloke, British Consul General in Los Angeles, right, listens to a brief from a subject matter expert from the Chief Partnership Office, during a Space and Missile Systems Center overview presentation at the Gordon Conference Center on Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. Experts from each of SMC’s Corps briefed the U.K. delegation on topics such as SpaceWERX, International Space Pitch Day and Small Satellite Launch capabilities. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, Space and Missile Systems Center commander and program executive officer for Space, left, gifts United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP, an Armillary Sphere modeled after the one featured in the SMC courtyard at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. Armillary spheres, models of the sky, consist of a spherical framework of rings representing celestial longitude and latitude. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Leadership from the Space and Missile Systems Center gather for a photo with United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP, and other members of the U.K. delegation before discussing international partnerships across the space domain at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, July 15, 2021. The visit from the U.K. delegation aimed to gain a detailed understanding of the USSF’s approach to space acquisitions while continuing its desire for ongoing bilateral engagement in support of shared military requirements through space. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sgt. Luke Kitterman)
Leadership from the Space and Missile Systems Center and subject matter experts from the SMC Chief Partnership Office (CPO) hosted the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP, and members of the U.K. delegation July 15 to discuss organizational wins, recent partnership successes, future collaborative efforts and international partnerships across the space domain.
Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, SMC commander and program executive officer for Space, conceptualized the CPO to direct led discussions regarding ways in which the CPO can connect allies and potential partners across the commercial and interagency sectors who are interested in collaborative opportunities and global space cooperation with the U.S. Space Force.
“One of the main initiatives for the U.S. Space Force and our CPO is having a unity of effort,” said Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, SMC commander. “As our Chief of Space Operations, Gen. John Raymond says, ‘We need to all be rowing in the same direction.’ At SMC, we aim to continue to build on these joint endeavors and innovate together as Space evolves exponentially, both in the civilian commercial and government sectors.”
Allies and partners offer critical capabilities that can be integrated into our space architecture, identify and close gaps in space enterprise, and strengthen combined space capabilities
“I have been assigned here since October 2018 and my main role is to identify, establish and enhance partnerships between the U.K. Ministry of Defence and SMC,” said Wing Cdr. Ian Pamplin, U.K. liaison officer to SMC. "This visit highlights the importance of the U.K.'s relationship with the United States, the value we place on international partnerships, and our desire to continue to work with SMC to develop opportunities for future collaboration in space systems development."
During the visit, Wallace and the U.K. delegation were immersed in the critical space mission of SMC and the U.S. Space Force.
“The U.S. and the U.K. have collaborated together in multiple capability areas and initiatives,” said Thompson. “From the International Space Pitch Day (ISPD) held last November to efforts across satellite communication, Space Domain Awareness, and Space Command and Control - we have had some big wins, and I’m confident we have many more to come.”
ISPD was a collaborative effort led by the U.K. Defense and Security Accelerator, the U.K. Defense Science and Technology Laboratory Space Program, and SMC on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.K. Ministry of Defense.
“ISPD demonstrated how we ‘go-faster’ together and collectively seek and find the best global space technology,” said Deanna Ryals, SMC chief partnership officer. “We have also learned our approach to partnerships is different today than it was 10 years ago. As our allies begin to field sovereign space capabilities and build national industrial bases, we have transitioned our thinking from, ‘Come invest in our programs and we’ll share capability’ to, ‘Bring your capabilities to our coalition architecture, and we’ll all share in capabilities.’”
Cooperation with allies and partners provides opportunities to bolster combined space capabilities by decreasing cost, increasing speed of innovation and expanding interoperability.
“We are shifting to a mindset of ‘Allied By Design’ as we look at how we acquire future space systems to build out a robust and resilient space architecture,” Ryals continued. “We know our commercial partners are moving at the speed of innovation and by working together through endeavors like our joint ISPD, both nations were able to develop a common set of requirements then seek the most cutting-edge technology from all across the globe.”