New Space Force ‘Mission Deltas’ Manage Missile Detection and Domain Awareness  

The Space Force has officially expanded its concept for combining operations, sustainment, cyber, and intelligence functions all under one roof, dropping the “provisional” tag from units that kicked off the idea last year and transitioning two more Deltas and missions to the structure. 

Originally the service called the new units Integrated Mission Deltas, but as part of the transition it has shortened that to Mission Deltas. 

In ceremonies at Colorado Springs, Colo., on Oct. 30 and 31, Space Delta 2 and Space Delta 4—responsible for space domain awareness and missile warning and tracking, respectively—became Mission Delta 2 and Mission Delta 4.

Service members from the 82nd Cyberspace Systems Squadron render a first salute to Col. Raj Agrawal, Mission Delta 2 commander, during the MD 2 redesignation ceremony, Colorado Springs, Colo., Oct. 31, 2024. Mission Deltas oversee all aspects of mission area functions – people, training, equipment and combat sustainment. U.S. Space Force photo

Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr., Space Operations Command commander, passes the Mission Delta 2 guidon to Col. Raj Agrawal, MD 2 commander, during a redesignation ceremony, Colorado Springs, Colo., Oct. 31, 2024. Mission Deltas oversee all aspects of mission area functions – people, training, equipment and combat sustainment. U.S. Space Force photo

Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr., Space Operations Command commander passes the Mission Delta 4 guidon to Col. Ernest “Bobby” Schmitt, MD 4 commander, during the MD 4 redesignation ceremony, Colorado Springs, Colo., Oct. 30, 2024. Mission Deltas oversee all aspects of mission area functions – people, training, equipment and combat sustainment. U.S. Space Force photo

A few weeks earlier, the Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Provisional Delta that stood up in October 2023 became Mission Delta 31. Meanwhile Space Delta 3, responsible for electromagnetic warfare, became Mission Delta 3 after a year spent “prototyping” the new arrangement. 

Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman first unveiled the idea for integrated mission deltas in September 2023, saying it would deliver maintenance and software upgrades to important systems much faster than before by integrating program managers and engineers with operators under Space Operations Command. 

At the same time, officials insisted the arrangement would not touch acquisition, whose authorities reside under Space Systems Command. 

Leaders have also noted the arrangement better aligns cyber and intelligence units and personnel according to the mission area they support, giving them better insight into their needs and capabilities. 

In a statement, Col. Marc Brock, Space Operations Command lead for integrated Mission Delta modernization, said “this unity of command for readiness allows a single organization to generate, maintain, and enhance ready forces for an assigned mission area.” 

EW and PNT were chosen as the first two mission areas to test the arrangement, and by February 2024, the new units were already getting rave reviews and leaders were talking about expanding the arrangement to other missions. 

In April, Space Systems Command boss Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant confirmed that space domain awareness and missile tracking were in line to become the next two Mission Deltas. 

In July, Space Operations Command head Lt. Gen. David N. Miller Jr. said not all his command’s deltas would become Mission Deltas, but those that needed to would transition within the next 12 months. Space Delta 6 and Space Delta 7 handle cyber and intelligence, respectively, and are unlikely to transition. 

That leaves just two of SpOC’s eight deltas left: Space Delta 8, which is responsible for satellite communications, and Space Delta 9, which handles orbital warfare.