NOW, A DISCUSSION ON NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY WITH JOHN HEIGHTENED.

THIS WAS PART OF THE REAGAN NATIONAL DEFENSE FORUM IN CALIFORNIA. THIS IS AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES. >> THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE AT THE BREAKFAST PANEL, WHICH WAS MODERATED BY MY ...

COLLEAGUE, THERE YOU SAW THE FUTURE OF CBS NEWS. I AM WITH WHAT THE MILITARY WOULD CALL THE LEGACY SYSTEM. [LAUGHTER] >> DURING THE COLD WAR AND REPURPOSED FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I DID A STORY CALLED THE BATTLE ABOVE FOR "60 MINUTES. ...

" IT WAS ABOUT U.S. SPACE COMMAND. AT THE TIME, THE COMMANDER WAS A GENERAL, ONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN OUR STORY. TO GET READY FOR THIS PANEL, I WENT BACK AND REREAD THE TRANSCRIPT ONLINE OF THAT STORY. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF CONTINUING ON AND READING SOME OF THE COMMENTS. ONE OF THE FIRST COMMENTS I CAME ACROSS SAID, SHAME ON YOU FOR PUTTING THOSE YOU INTERVIEWED IN AWKWARD POSITIONS WITH THE QUESTIONS YOU ASKED THEM. MY TIME IS TOO VALUABLE TO WASTE WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO RESPECT. I WON'T REDO THE COMMENTS ON MY APPEARANCE AND I QUEUE. I ALSO WANT YOU REDO THE ONE THAT SAID GENERAL HYTEN RAN CIRCLES AROUND ME. NOW, I GET A SECOND SHOT AT HIM. HE HAS BEEN PROMOTED. HE IS NOW BE COMMANDER -- HE IS NOW THE COMMANDER OF U.S. STRATEGIC COMMAND. IT INCLUDES THE DETERRENCE OF WAR IN SPACE AND FIGHTING OF WAR IN SPACE. HEATHER WILSON IS THE 24TH SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE, JOB WHICH REQUIRES HER TO BECOME INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN SPACE. SHE SAYS SHE SPENDS ABOUT A THIRD OF HER TIME ON SPACE. FOURTH FROM THE END IS THE ACTING UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR INTELLIGENCE WITH A PORTFOLIO THAT INCLUDES THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE, ALL OF WHICH LIVE AND DIE BY SPACE. AT THE END IS -- HERE WE HAVE COMMERCE AND MIKE ROGERS, A REPUBLICAN FROM ALABAMA -- HERE WE HAVE REPUBLICAN MIKE ROGERS,. HE IS A PROPONENT TO CREATE A SEPARATE SPACE CORPS, AN ENTIRELY NEW BRANCH OF THE MILITARY SERVICE. IT WOULD TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE AIR FORCE, AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, THAT IS A CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSAL. I AM GOING TO START WITH QUESTIONS, BUT THE AUDIENCE GETS TO CEMENT QUESTIONS, TOO. >> I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH QUESTIONS BUT THE AUDIENCE GETS TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS, TOO, AND IF YOU GO TO OUR APP, ...

WWW.RNDF2017. org, YOU CAN SUBMIT THOSE QUESTIONS AND FOR THE LAST 15 MINUTES WE'LL BE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS. I WANT TO BEGIN BY ASKING GENERAL HYTEN. WHEN YOU WERE LIEUTENANT COLONEL, YOU WROTE THAT WAR IN SPACE IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. NOW THAT YOU'VE GROWN ALL OF THOSE STARS ON YOUR SHOULDER, DO YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE CASE? >> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, DAVID. I NEVER EXPECTED TO GROW STARS ON MY SHOULDERS. ONE THING, WHEN YOU WRITE SOMETHING AS A LOT COLONEL YOU NEVER EXPECT TO GROW UP AND BE A GENERAL. WHAT YOU WRITE AS A LOT COLONEL. I BELIEVE ANY DOMAIN THAT HUMANS MOVE INTO ...

WILL BE SUBJECT TO CONFLICT. WHEN I LOOKED AT IT 20 YEARS AGO IT SEEMED OBVIOUS TO ME AND ALSO OBVIOUS TO THE CHINESE THAT I WAS STUDYING AT THE TIME CONFLICT WOULD MOVE INTO SPACE AND IF CONFLICT WILL MOVE INTO SPACE OUR JOB WILL BE THE SAME AS IT IS IN EVERY OTHER DOMAIN, TO DETER THAT CONFLICT, TO MAKE SURE THAT CONFLICT NEVER HAPPENS BUT IF IT DOES HAPPEN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIGHT IT AND WHEN. SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER PROBLEM BUT IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME WAY I LOOKED AT IT 20 YEARS AGO. >> IS THE U.S. PREPARED TO FIGHT TODAY IN SPACE? >> THE U.S. IS PREPARED TO FIGHT, BUT IT'S NOT PREPARED TO FIGHT IN THE FUTURE. SO THE STRENGTH WE HAVE TODAY IS BASED ON THE MASS AND SHEER NUMBERS OF CAPABILITIES THAT WE'VE PUT UP OVER THE YEARS. ...

IT DWARFS ANY ADVERSARY WE FACE. WE DON'T HAVE WAR FIGHTING CAPABILITIES BUILT ON TO THOSE SYSTEMS AND OUR ADVERSARIES, AND YOU HEARD IT TALKED ABOUT, OUR ADVERSARIES HAVE BEEN WATCHING US SINCE THE FIRST GULF WAR. THEY WATCHED THE ENORMOUS CONVENTIONAL POWER WE CREATED THAT IN MANY WAYS WAS ENABLED BY SPACE AND WHEN YOU SEE THAT ENORMOUS CAPABILITY, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE AM I GOING TO JUST IGNORE THAT HUGE ADVANTAGE OR AM I GOING TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? THE CHINESE AND RUSSIAN FOR THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS HAVE BEEN WATCHING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, DEVELOPING CAPABILITIES, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SECRET. THEY HAVE BEEN TESTING WEAPONS AND BUILDING WEAPONS TO OPERATE FROM EARTH IN SPACE, -- JAMMING WEAPONS, LASER WEAPONS, THEY ARE BUILDING THEM TO CHALLENGE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO CHALLENGE OUR ALLIES AND TO CHANGE THE BALANCE OF POWER NOTICE WORLD. WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. >> SO WE WOULD WIN TODAY BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THE FUTURE? >> I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT SOMEHOW THIS COUNTRY JUST LOST THE ABILITY TO GO FAST AND WE HAVE ADVERSARIES THAT ARE GOING FAST. WE DON'T GO FAST ANYMORE. ...

WE TAKE FOUR YEARS TO STUDY A PROBLEM BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING. WE DO FOUR YEARS OF RISK REDUCTION FOR TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE BUILT 50 YEARS AGO. WHY DO WE TAKE THAT MUCH TIME? BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BECAUSE OF THE ADVANTAGE WE'VE HAD OVER ADVERSARIES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE THREAT AND DEAL WITH THE THREAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME ANYMORE. WE HAVE TO MOVE RIGHT NOW AND WE HAVE TOO MOVE FAST AND CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS SO WE'RE IN A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE TODAY BUT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW THAT ADVANTAGE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IT WILL BE GONE. IN 10 YEARS WE COULD BE BEHIND. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. >> CONGRESSMAN ROGERS, ARE WE ABOUT TO LOSE OUR ADVANTAGE? >> CERTAINLY. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GIVEN OUR COMMITTEE A SENSE OF EMERGENCY. ...

GENERAL HYTEN HAS ENORMOUS INFLUENCE OVER THE COMMITTEE, PARTICULARLY ME, THE RANKING MEMBER AND THE PICTURE HE PAINTS TO US IN BOTH CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED SETTING IS SCARY. ...

THE CHINESE AND THE RUSSIANS HAVE BOTH PUT A MUCH LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR DEFENSE SPENDING INTO THIS CAPABILITY THAN WE HAVE, AND THEY HAVE STRUCTURED TO BE ABLE TO GO FASTER JUST LIKE WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TRAJECTORY THAT THEY ARE ON WITH CAPABILITIES, THEY ARE GOING TO SURPASS US IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. NOT THE NEAR FUTURE, NOT THE DISTANT FUTURE, THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, IF WE DON'T GET AFTER THIS AND SELF-CORRECT. IT WAS INTERESTING, ABOUT A YEAR AGO I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH GENERAL HYTEN AND HE WAS TELLING ME AND A FEW OF MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT THOSE TWO PARTICULAR ADVERSARIES, NEAR PEERS OR MAYBE EVEN OUR PEERS AND LITERALLY WITHIN 12 MONTHS WAS SAYING, ALONG WITH ADMIRAL HARRIS, THEY ARE NOW OUR PEERS. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. IN MY 15 YEARS, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO SEND OUR MEN AND WOMEN INTO THE THEATER WHERE THERE WAS A FAIR FIGHT. WE'RE ABOUT TO BE IN THAT SITUATION WHEN IT COMES TO THAT WAR FIGHTING DOMAIN AND THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY, NOT JUST AS A CONGRESS BUT AS A NATION, THAT WE GET AFTER THIS, IN A SERIOUS WAY, AND MAKE SURE WE REGAIN AND MAINTAIN A DEGREE OF SUPERIORITY IN THAT THEATER. >> HOW WOULD A SPACE CORPS SOLVE THAT PROBLEM? >> IN A HOST OF WAYS. ONE, IT WOULD SEGREGATE THE SPACE PROFESSIONALS -- LET ME BACK UP. ...

WHEN YOU LOOK AT NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE 90% OF IT IS IN THE AIR FORCE. THE NAVY HAS ONE WEATHER SYSTEM. THEY HANDLE VERY WELL. THE ARMY DOES SOME COMMUNICATIONS, BUT 90% IS IN THE AIR FORCE. ...

AND SO WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT IT'S NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE ATTENTION THAT IT NEEDED CULTURALLY OR RESOURCE-WISE AND IT HAS NOT HAD THE ABILITY TO GO FAST. THIS TECHNOLOGY IS SO RAPIDLY EVOLVING AND DEVELOPING THAT I THINK IT NEEDS A UNIQUE AND LEAN AND AGILE ACQUISITION SYSTEM. AND WE FELT LIKE AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE, THAT BY SEGREGATING THOSE SPACE PROFESSIONALS IN THE AIR FORCE, AGAIN, WHERE 90% OF THEM ARE, INTO A OPERATE ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRUCT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT US TAKING IT AWAY FROM THE AIR FORCE, WE WERE GOING TO KEEP IT IN THE DEPARTMENT BUT JUST AGGREGATE THOSE SPACE PROFESSIONALS, SEGREGATE THE RESOURCES DEDICATED TO NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE, AND SEGREGATE AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FOR THOSE SPACE PROFESSIONALS, AND DEVELOP A CULTURE THAT'S FOCUSED ON THE NUMBER ONE MISSION FOR THOSE PROFESSIONALS WHO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY. 70 YEARS AGO, IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE PROPERLY RESOURCED. IT WAS AN ARMY WHERE THE NUMBER ONE MISSION WAS TERRESTRIAL. IN THE AIR FORCE, THE NUMBER ONE MISSION IS CULTURALLY INDOCTRINATED TO BE SUPERIOR AND AIR DOMINANT. THAT'S THEIR NUMBER ONE MISSION IN LIFE AND IT SHOULD BE. THEY ARE THE AIR FORCE, BUT THE FACT IS, ONE OF THE OTHER 11 MISSIONS THAT THEY HAVE IS SPACE. IT IS A SUBORDINATE MISSION, AND, AS WE'VE JUST HEARD FROM GENERAL HYTEN AND MANY OTHERS, WHO ARE JUST AS SMART AS HIM ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND MUCH SMARTER THAN US, THAT'S NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE. WE HAVE TO HAVE A KADRI OF SPACE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE GIVEN THE MISSION THAT YOUR NUMBER ONE JOB EVERY DAY WHEN YOU COME TO WORK IS TO BE SUPERIOR IN SPACE AND TO PROPERLY RESOURCE THEM AND EDUCATE THEM AND VALUE THEM, AND WE WERE ALSO -- AND AGAIN, SINCE MONEY IS SPONGEABLE, WE HAD TO SEGREGATE THAT MONEY. WE THINK THE SPACE CORPS WOULD HAVE DONE THAT. AND THE FINAL PIECE, AND I REALLY FELT THIS WAS GOING TO BE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT, WE WERE GOING TO, AND THE LEGISLATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE, WE DESIGNATED THAT SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE HAD A CLEAN SLATE TO DESIGN THE SPACE CORPS FROM SCRATCH. IT LOOKED LIKE WHATEVER SHE WANTED IT TO LOOK LIKE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE ACQUISITION SYSTEM WOULD BE UNIQUE TO HER, AND HER ORGANIZATION. SHE COULD DESIGN IT TO BE AS LEAN AND AGILE AS SHE TO LOOK LIKE, BUT WANTED IT TO BE, AND WE TOOK MILESTONE DECISION AUTHORITY AWAY FROM THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND GAVE IT TO THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE. THAT'S A LOT OF POWER. THAT'S A LOT OF AGILITY. THAT'S THE ABILITY TO GO FAST. WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS THE IDEAL WAY TO GET AFTER THIS, IN A VERY URGENT FASHION, BUT WHAT WE ALSO KNEW GOING INTO THIS, IS THAT, HUMAN BEINGS DON'T LIKE CHANGE. IT'S JUST NATURAL, AND BUREAUCRACIES HATE IT. THAT'S WHY IT TOOK 26 YEARS FOR THE AIR FORCE TO EVOLVE OUT OF THE ARMY. WE DON'T HAVE 26 YEARS FOR THIS. BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT'S INEVITABLE. IT'S GOT TO HAPPEN, AND WE THINK THAT WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR DEMONSTRATED THAT SENSE OF URGENCY, PRESENTED WHAT WE THINK IS THE IDEAL BUT WE'RE NOT MARRIED TO THAT BEING THE ONLY SOLUTION BUT WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO DO WE NEED TO DO IT SOON. >> SECRETARY WILSON, THIS WOULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE DRAMATICALLY. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IDEA OF A SPACE CORPS? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK THE CONGRESSMAN FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR THE 20% INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR SPACE, WHICH IS WHAT WAS REQUESTED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. THE UNITED STATES NEEDS ASSURED ACCESS TO SPACE WHICH MEANS THE ABILITY TO LAUNCH, AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH GENERAL HYTEN THAT WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY, AND WE NEED TO ACCELERATE ACQUISITION. ...

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SPACE -- IN THE LAST MONTH, A HUNDRED MILLION THERE ARE CONTRACT TO INNOVATE AND PROTOTYPE FASTER. MILESTONE DECISIONAL AUTHORITY HAS BEEN MOVED, ACTUALLY LAST YEAR'S DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT MOVED MILESTONE DECISION AUTHORITY OUT OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE'S OFFICE DOWN TO THE AIR FORCE. I HAVE MOVED IT TO THE SERVICE ACQUISITION AUTHORITY OR ASSISTANT SECRETARY AND WE PUSHED IT DOWN AND SAID WE NEED TO GO FAST. WE NEED TO PROTOTYPE, INNOVATE, AND WITH OUR NEXT STEPS WITH RESPECT TO REPLACING SPACE-BASED INFRARED, WITH RESPECT TO INDICATIONS AND WARNING, WE'RE -- GENERAL HYTEN AND I ARE ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED, STOP STUDYING THINGS TO DEATH AND GET CAPABILITY ON ORBIT FOR THE WAR FIGHTER, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL WE NEED TO DO SO IT'S A SHORT ACCESS, BUT THE UNITED STATES BUILT A GLASSHOUSE AT A TIME BEFORE THE INVENTION OF STONES. SO THE SHIFTING OF SPACE BEING A BENIGN ENVIRONMENT TO A WAR FIGHTING ENVIRONMENT REQUIRES DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES. FIRST OF ALL, WE NIEDERREITER REAL-TIME SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SO WE NEED TO KNOW NOT JUST WHAT'S IN THE CATALOG BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT'S MOVING IN NEAR REAL-TIME. THE SECOND THING WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO IS COMMAND AND CONTROL WHICH MEANS IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE TRAFFIC CAM. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH NEAR REAL-TIME COMMAND AND CONTROL. AND THE THIRD THING IS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CREATE EFFECTS. BOTH OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVE. AND IN BOTH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET BUT I THINK IN THE BUDGETS THAT ARE BEING WORKED NOW, YOU WILL SEE SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT IN ALL OF THOSE AREAS. BUT I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH GENERAL HYTEN AND MR. ROGERS, THAT THE AREA WHERE WE NEED THE MOST FOCUS IS HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO REFORM DEFENSE WIDE ACQUISITION PROCESSES IN ORDER TO MOVE QUICKLY, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXPERIMENTATION AND PROTOTYPING, TO PUSH AUTHORITY DOWN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL, AND TO TIGHTEN UP THESE SCHEDULES SO WE CAN MOVE FASTER THAN THE ADVERSARY. I THINK THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT UNTIL THE 20th OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY SPACE AND WAR FIGHTING IN THE SAME SENTENCE. THAT'S CHANGED. WE NEED TO DETER AND PREVAIL IN SPACE AS WE DO IN EVERY OTHER DOMAIN OF WARFARE IN THE FUTURE. >> WOULD A SPACE CORPS HELP YOU OR HURT YOU IN ALL OF THOSE ENDEAVORS? >> I CAN'T THINK OF A MILITARY MISSION THAT WE HAVE THAT'S NOT ENABLED BY OR DEPENDENT ON SPACE. ...

WE NEED TO INTEGRATE SPACE AND ELEVATE SPACE AS FAR AS PART OF A JOINT WAR FIGHTING FORCE.

AND TO ME, ANYTHING THAT SEPARATES SPACE FROM THE JOINT FIGHT IS MOVING US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH MR. ROGERS, THAT THE FOCUS HAS TO BE ON HOW TO MOVE FAST. HOW TO INNOVATE, AND HOW TO GET CAPABILITY TO THE WAR FIGHTER. I DON'T THINK THAT CREATING MORE SEAMS BETWEEN A SPACE CORPS AND OTHER SERVICES HELPS IN THAT REGARD. >> CAREY KARI BINGEN, WHAT ARE THE MAJOR THREATS TO ALL OF THOSE SATELLITES UP THERE? >> IF I CAN GO BACK A STEP AND JUST REITERATE WHAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE PANEL HAS SAID SPACE IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL TO PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE TO OR WAR FIGHTERS, OUR POLICYMAKERS AND OUR WEAPONS DEVELOPERS, SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED EARLIER THIS WEEK WE WITNESSED ANOTHER NORTH KOREA BALLISTIC MISSILE LAUNCH. ...

IT'S A DENIED AREA. IT'S TOUGH TO PENETRATE WITH AIRBORNE ASSETS OR HUMAN SPIES. SPACE PROVIDES A UNIQUE WAY FOR US TO GET ACCESS THAT WE CAN'T CURRENTLY GET BY OTHER MEANS. IT'S THE INTELLIGENCE IMAGERY SATELLITES, WE TAKE PICTURES OF MISSILES AND LAUNCHERS, THE MISSILE WARNING SATELLITES TO DETECT THOSE LAUNCHES, IT'S THE ANALYSTS ON THE GROUND WHO PROCESS AND REPORT ON THE DATA AND THE COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES THAT RELAY THAT DATER FOR USERS IN THE FIELD TO TAKE ACTION. WHEN I LOOK AT THAT AND PARROT IT WITH THE THREAT AND THE THREAT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IN PARTICULAR, 2007 WHEN THE CHINESE TESTED THAT SATELLITE, THAT WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR US, AND THEY HAVE NOT STOOD STILL OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. THEY HAVE RAPIDLY MOVED FORWARD IN ALL AREAS OF ANTI-SATELLITE CAPABILITIES TO REDUCE OUR ADVANTAGE IN SPACE. EVERYTHING FROM KINETIC ENERGY, MISSILES, FROM BOTH THE GROUND AND THE AIR, LASER WEAPONS, SATELLITE JAMMERS, CYBER, WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THREATS ARE NOT JUST TO OUR SATELLITES ON ORBIT, BUT TO THE COMMUNICATION LINKS, TO THE GROUND STATIONS, TO THE USER EQUIPMENT, THEY HAVE TAKEN A FULL SPECTRUM APPROACH TO DEGRADING OUR CALL ITCAPABILITIES, AND THE DIFFERENCE NOW, WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT MISSIONS. RUSSIA-CHINA, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT GAME. CONTESTED ENVIRONMENT OPERATIONS. SPACE IS CRITICAL TO THAT AND IT'S FORCING US TO REALLY THINK HARD IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW WE EFFECTIVELY PROTECT THOSE ASSETS, HOW WE GET GREATER SPEED AT SCALE TO PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE TO OUR POLICY MAKERS WHO AREN'T GOING TO HAVE THE LUXURY OF TIME, AND SO WE'RE FOCUSING ACROSS THE BOARD NOT ONLY ON RESILIENT MEASURES TO PUT INTO OUR ARCHITECTURES BUT ALSO MEASURES ON THE GROUND THAT INCREASE THE SPEED OF PROCESSING THE DELUGE OF DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING OFF OUR IMAGERY SATELLITES AND WE'RE FOCUSING ON SKABL SCALE AS WELL. >> SO HOW VULNERABLE ARE WE TODAY FOR THOSE SATELLITES THAT PROVIDE ALL OF THAT INTELLIGENCE? >> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS PHYSICS. SATELLITES GO IN PRETTY PREDICTABLE ORBITS. ...

ANY POTENTIAL ADVERSARY WITH AN ENGINEERING DEGREE KNOWS WHERE THOSE IS THE WILL BE AND AS HIGHLIGHTED THERE ARE MANY AVENUES FOR THEM TO TRY TO PURSUE THEM SO THEY ARE ...

INHERENTLY FRAGILE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO PROTECT THE MISSION. WE'RE DESIGNING MORE RESILIENT NETWORKS, LEVERAGING OUR ALLIES AND PARTNERS TO PROVIDE GREATER INTELLIGENCE SHARING AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER NONSPACE ALTERNATIVES SO WE'RE DOING THINGS ACROSS THE BOARD TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE VULNERABILITIES. >> GENERAL HYTEN HAS SAID HE WOULD NOT SUPPORT BUYING ANY MORE BIG SATELLITES ...

WHICH MAKE JUICY TARGETS. ANN, HOW DO YOU MAKE SMALLER SATELLITES WITHOUT GIVING UP CAPABILITY? >> WELL, I THINK FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING INDUSTRY TO HAVE A ROLE ON THIS PANEL. IT'S AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOPIC, AND AS MUCH AS WE UNDERSTAND THIS, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S PART OF THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO EVERYDAY FROM THE MUNDANE TASKS TO NATIONAL SECURITY AND THIS CONVERSATION IS LARGER THAN ANY ONE PROGRAM OR ONE CONTRACT OR ONE COMPANY. THIS IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE ASSUREDNESS OF SPACE TO GAIN ACCESS. ...

BOEING IS VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, AND BOTH THROUGH THE AIR FORCE AS WELL AS OUR MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY, AND IT ISN'T ABOUT WHETHER IT'S A LARGE SATELLITE OR A SMALL SATELLITE. THIS IS ABOUT PROVIDING THE CAPABILITY THAT'S NEEDED FOR THE FIGHT THAT'S AT HAND AND FOR PREDICTING THE FIGHT IN THE FUTURE. SO OUR JOB IS TO COLLABORATE. OUR JOB IS TO INNOVATE, OUR JOB IS TO PROVIDE CAPABILITY FASTER, WITHOUT HAVING TO BE TOLD TO GO FASTER, AS WELL AS MAKE SURE IT'S AFFORDABLE BECAUSE THE RATE OF CHANGE IN THIS DOMAIN IS MOVING SO QUICKLY. >> GENERAL HYTEN, DO YOU WANT -- >> LET ME JUST PUT IT IN A BLUNT SET OF OBSERVATIONS. SO, IF YOU WENT TO BOEING AND YOU WANTED TO BUY A LARGE, OH, BY THE WAY, SIZE IS NOT THE REAL ISSUE. SPEED AND DEFENSE ABILITY IS THE ISSUE. SO SIZE IS AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC BUT IF YOU GO TO BOEING, YOU WANT TO BUY A COMMERCIAL, LARGE COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE, VERY COMPLEX COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE, THEY WANT A FIXED PRICE AGREEMENT AND THEY WILL SELL IT TO YOU AND DELIVER IT TO YOU IN 36 MONTHS. ...

I WAS IN A MEETING IN THE PENTAGON AND I'M GOING TO KEEP THE NAMES OUT OF IT AND THE PROGRAMS OUT OF IT BUT IN THE MEETING OF THE PENTAGON, WE'RE DISCUSSING WHETHER WE SHOULD BUY A FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENT OF ONE OF OUR CURRENT ON-ORBIT SATELLITES, AND SOMEBODY WHO I RESPECT VERY MUCH WHO HAS DONE THIS BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT. IT WILL BE VERY RISKY IF WE CAN GET THAT DELIVERED BY 2029. THAT WAS THIS YEAR. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND. 2029. THAT'S 12 YEARS FROM NOW. BOEING WILL GO THROUGH FOUR GENERATIONS OF COMMERCIAL SATELLITES AND, OH, BY THE WAY, IF THEY CAN'T BUILD IT IN THREE YEARS THEY ARE OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE -- WILL BUILD IT IN THREE YEARS. THAT'S COMMERCIAL SECTOR. WHAT DO WE WANT THE NEXT MISSILE SATELLITE WARNING TO BE? WHAT DO WE WANT IT TO BE? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT IT TO BE. BASICALLY A COMMERCIAL BUS THAT WE CAN BUY FROM ANYBODY, I DON'T CARE. I WANT IT TO FIT IN THE CURRENT GROUND SYSTEM SO I DON'T HAVE TO BUY A NEW GROUND SYSTEM. AND THEN I WANT TO INVEST A LOT OF MONEY INTO A VERY GOOD SENSOR THAT CAN DO STRATEGIC MISSILE WARNING FOR THIS COUNTRY AND I WANT TO PUT THAT SENSOR ON THE SATELLITE. BOEING CAN DO THAT, LOCKHEED CAN DO THAT. ANY OF THE NATIONS INDUSTRY CAN DO THAT. WHY DOES OUR PROCESS SAY IT TAKES 12 YEARS AND IT WILL BE RISKY WHETHER WE CAN GET THERE FROM HERE? THAT'S RIDICULOUS. >> AND THE GREAT THING IS, GENERAL HYTEN NOW HAS THE SUPPORT, THE PENTAGON AGREES WITH HIM AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

THIS COUNTRY CAN DO BUSINESS A DIFFERENT WAY. WE DO IT A DIFFERENT WAY ALL THE TIME. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS EMPOWER THE PEOPLE THAT CAN MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, PUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES IN THE RIGHT PLACE, ALLOW THEM TO GO FAST, AND WE'VE DONE IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN. ...

WE CAN DO IT ONCE AGAIN. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SPACE, SPACE, INFRARED SYSTEM. >> WELL, I WAS TALKING ABOUT IT ON THE SECOND PIECE BECAUSE THE SECRETARY STARTED WALKING DOWN THAT PIECE IN HER REMARKS AND I WANTED TO GET THAT. ...

I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THAT PIECE IN THE GENERIC CONVERSATION. I WAS GIVING TO THE PENTAGON, BUT THINK ABOUT WHY BAN COMMUNICATIONS IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT. WHEN WE BUILT OUR CURRENT WIDE BAND COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES, THEY WERE DESIGNED IN THE 1990s. WHAT WAS THE COMMERCIAL OF COMMUNICATION SATELLITE INDUSTRY IN THE 1990s? NEOPHYTE AT BEST. INVISIBLE. NOT EVEN REALLY THERE. SOMEHOW, WE THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE TO BUY WIDE BAND COMMUNICATION SATELLITES THIS WAY WHEN WE HAVE BOEING THAT BUILDS HUGE SATELLITES ALL THE TIME. LOCKHEED BUILDS HUGE SATELLITES. IT'S JUST A COMMODITY. WHY DON'T WE BUY IT AS A COMMODITY? IT'S WIDE BAND COMMUNICATION. WE BUY THAT AS A COMMODITY AND WE'LL SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO STRATEGIC MISSILE WARNING AND THOSE KINDS OF PIECES. IT'S SITTING THERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AND IT NOT THAT HARD BUT WE STILL TRY TO MAKE IT HARD. >> AND IT'S NOT JUST THE ACQUISITION PIECE. AND WE ALL KNOW THIS UP HERE. THERE IS A REQUIREMENT PROCESS THAT'S SCLEROTIC IN THE PENTAGON, AND THEN THERE IS AN ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES, IN A CASE WHERE, THIS IS NOT REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY. ...

WE'RE NOT PUSHING THE BOUNDS OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE ON SOME OF THESE THINGS. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT IS LARGELY WELL-DEVELOPED AND KNOWN. SO JUST GET AFTER IT AND GET THE BUREAUCRACY OUT OF THE WAY. >> I'VE GOT TO JUMP IN, I'M SORRY. WHENEVER WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, THE CONGRESSMAN, SECRETARY AND I, IT ALWAYS SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE CRITICIZING THE ACQUISITION COMMUNITY. ...

THAT'S NOT THE CASE. WE'RE CRITICIZING EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. SO LET'S GO THROUGH THE FIVE PIECES THAT HAVE TO BE FIXED IN ORDER TO GET THIS DONE. NUMBER ONE, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A BUDGET. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BUDGET, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY SHRIVER AND RICKOVER AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME FORWARD, BIG ADVANTAGE OF GOING FAST, IN THE FIRST YEAR THEY HAD A BUDGET AND THEY KNEW WHAT THEY COULD GET DONE. CERTAIN BUDGETS, BUDGETS THAT ARE SUFFICIENT, THAT'S A CRITICAL ENABLER. THEN THE REQUIREMENTS PROCESS. WHY WOULD IT TAKE THREE YEARS TO BUILD A REQUIREMENTS PROCESS? I CAN SIT DOWN WITH A PIECE OF PAPER RIGHT NOW, NOT IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE CLASSIFIED BUT I CAN WRITE DOWN THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEXT GENERATION. A COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE. I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. I DON'T NEED THREE YEARS OF ANALYST TO DO THAT. THE ACQUISITION PROCESS IS BROKEN. BECAUSE A PROGRAM MANAGER SPENT ALL OF THEIR TIME IN THE PENTAGON. THEY RUN TO THE PENTAGON ALL THE TIME FOR APPROVAL. THEY DON'T ACTUALLY EXECUTE THEIR PROGRAMS. WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE AUTHORITY. THEY SHOULD SPEND TIME IN THE FACTORIES. NUMBER FOUR, WE HAVE TO HAVE A TEST PROCESS THAT'S EFFICIENT AND TIED TO THE NEED FOR SPEED AND THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO TAKE RISKS IN TESTS AND THAT SOMETIMES FAILURE WILL BE OKAY. AND THEN NUMBER FIVE, OPERATORS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO TAKE OPERATIONAL RISK WHEN WE COME IN. ALL FIVE OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE FIXED AND IF WE ONLY ADDRESS ONE, IT WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT IF WE ADDRESS EACH ONE OF THESE ACROSS THE BOARD WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT ACQUISITION AUTHORITY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CONGRESS PUSHED AUTHORITY DOWN. AS OF TWO YEARS AGO, 2/3 OF THE MAJOR PROGRAMS WHERE WE MAD TO MAKE DECISIONS ON MAJOR ACQUISITION PROGRAMS, 2/3 OF THOSE PROGRAMS WERE MANAGED WITHIN THE AUSPICES OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. ...

THAT'S COMPLETELY REVERSED SO THAT 2/3 OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE NOW AT THE SERVICE LEVEL AND WE'VE REQUESTED DELEGATION OF THE REST OF THEM. OF THOSE THAT ARE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL, I'M NOT THE ACQUISITION AUTHORITY FOR ANY OF THEM. I'VE GIVEN THEM TO OUR ASSISTANT SECRETARY AND WE'VE PUSHED EVERYTHING ELSE DOWN. SO PROGRAM MANAGERS NO LONGER HAVE TO COME TO THE SECRETARY AND OSG TO GET APPROVAL TO MOVE ON, WHICH TAKES MONTHS OUT OF THIS PROCESS. AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT DIRECTION. BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, JUST KIND OF STEPPING UP AND BACK A LITTLE BIT. THEY HAVE TO DO WITH STRATEGIC THINGS. HOW DO WE DETER AND PREVAIL? WE'VE NEVER HAD TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN SPACE BEFORE. HOW DO WE HOLD AT RISK THINGS THAT OTHER COUNTRIES VALUE? HOW DO WE CREATE DOUBT IN THE MIND OF AN ADVERSARY THAT IF THEY WERE TO TAKE OUT OUR SPACE CAPABILITIES, THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THEM WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE. THAT'S THE NATURE OF DETERRENCE. AND THEN HOW DO WE DEFENDS, RESTORE, AND OPERATE THROUGH IN THE SPACE DOMAIN IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE DO IN EVERY OTHER DOMAIN OF CONFLICT? THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF STRATEGIC DECISIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SET UP IN THE NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY IN WHICH THE AIR FORCE AND THE OTHER SERVICES ARE NOW FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING THOSE CAPABILITIES, DEMONSTRATING THOSE CAPABILITIES, AND SENDING A MESSAGE TO OUR ADVERSARY THAT THE LAST THING THEY WANT TO DO IS MESS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. >> CONGRESSMAN? >> I JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT IF ANYBODY REALLY BELIEVES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE DRAMATIC SPACE IN THE WAY SPACE MEETS ITS CHALLENGES WITHOUT DRAMATIC ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, YOU'RE FOOLING YOURSELF. THE FIRST STUDY THAT CAME OUT ON THIS, THAT REALLY SENT ALARM BELLS OFF WAS IN 2001, THE RUMFIELD COMMISSION AND, BY THE WAY, THAT WAS THE FIRST GROUP THAT SUGGESTED A SPACE CORE AS ONE OF FOUR OPTIONS. ...

SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN THREE STUDIES AND A COMMISSION, ALL WHO SAID THE SAME THING. THIS IS NO REFLECTION ON SECRETARY WILSON, WHO IS A PERSONAL FRIEND OF MINE, I SERVE WITH HER IN CONGRESS FOR EIGHT YEARS, SHOW JUST GOT HERE. SHE DIDN'T CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. BUT THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT LET THIS PROBLEM LANGUISH. THE AIR FORCE WAS NOT ABLE TO SELF-CORRECT. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SELF-CORRECT AS LONG AS 60 OFFICES CAN SAY NO AND CAUSE A 12-YEAR ACQUISITION PROCESS, BUT YET NO ONE OWNS IT AND NO ONE CAN SAY YES. THAT HAS TO BE CHANGED. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RIP THIS OUT BY THE ROOTS, AND PUT UP A NEW SYSTEM THAT NOT ONLY HAS GOOD ACQUISITION, BUT BUILDS A CULTURE AROUND SPACE DOMINANCE, THAT VALUES IT. ONE OF THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT EARLY IN THIS PROCESS WAS, TO EMPHASIZE THE CULTURAL CONCERN, THIS PAST YEAR, THERE WERE 37 COLONELS NOMINATED FOR BRIGADIER GENERAL IN THE AIR FORCE. GUESS HOW MANY OF THEM WERE SPACE PROFESSIONALS? >> ONE? >> ZERO, UNTIL I MADE THAT POINT AND THEN THEY BROUGHT ONE UP, BUT EVEN AT ONE THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. IF YOU'RE A BRIGHT YOUNG ENGINEER, OR PROFESSIONAL WHO WANTS A CAREER IN SPACE AND IN THE AIR FORCE BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GROW SOME STARS LIKE THIS GENTLEMAN DID, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CHOOSE SPACE, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE VALUED. ...

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THESE BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CAREER IN SPACE KNOW THEY WILL BE VALUED, EDUCATED, AND NURTURED AND CAN ACTUALLY GROW SOME STARS. THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SUPERIORITY IN SPACE. >> I HAVE TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL AIRMEN WHO ARE WEARING THE BADGES THAT GENERAL HYTEN IS WEARING. AND I HAVE MET A LOT OF THEM. ...

THEY ARE PROVIDING THE FIRST GLOBAL UTILITY TO THE WORLD. THEY PUT THAT BLUE DOT ON YOUR PHONE, GPS IS OPERATED BY A SQUADRON OF 40 AIR FORCE MEN IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, AND THEY PROVIDE I FREE TO A BILLION PEOPLE EVERY DAY. IT IS AN EXCITING TIME TO BE MANY SPACE IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY. AND WHILE ONE OF 37 LAST YEAR BECAME BRIGADIER GENERALS, ACTUALLY IN THE LAST TWO CYCLES, A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF SPACE OFFICERS BECAME GENERAL OFFICERS THAN THE AVERAGE IN THE AIR FORCE. SO THERE IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY. BUT IT'S NOT JUST THOSE WHO COME UP WITHIN SPACE. I THINK WHEN GENERAL -- WALKS INTO A MEETING OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF OR WHEN HE WAS -- WHEN HE WAS THE COMMANDER OF THE AIR WAR IN CENTRAL COMMAND, A GUY NAMED GENERAL MATTIS TURNED TO HIM AND SAID YOU'RE MY SPACE CONTROL AUTHORITY. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THE SPARKLY STUFF MEANS ON THEIR LEFT SHOULDER. THEY JUST KNOW THEY LOOK AT THAT BLUE UNIFORM AND THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN CHARGE OF SPACE. AND AIR. AND AIRLIFT. AND THE NUCLEAR DETERRENT. WE'RE THE AIR FORCE. WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. AND WE OWN IT. AND I'M REALLY>> ON THE QUESTION OF ADVANCEMENT, THE GENERAL IS A SELF-DESCRIBED FACE -- ...

SPACE NERD. [LAUGHTER] I INSULTED YOU. HE DID ALL RIGHT. HE WAS THE EXCEPTION IN THE ROOM. HE DECIDED TO DO THAT DESPITE THOSE CHALLENGES. I'M SAYING MOST YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ARE GOING TO SEE FEWER OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO WHERE HE GOT. THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE HIM WHO ARE WONDERFUL EXAMPLES. I WANT TO SEE MORE OF THEM. I THINK THE SPACE CORPS WE SUGGESTED WAS GOING TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES. LET ME GIVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE. THE PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION THAT IS REQUIRED IN THE AIR FORCE, 450 HOURS OF EDUCATION. TWO OF THAT WAS DEDICATED TO SPACE. YOU DON'T VALUE THAT WHEN YOU DON'T PUT MORE OF THAT IN YOUR EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT IS A CULTURAL THING THAT I DON'T THINK WILL BE PROPERLY ADDRESSED UNTIL YOU HAVE THE SEGREGATION WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THAT IS MY VIEW. THAT IS THE VIEW OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE AND WE WILL CONTINUE PROMOTING THIS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT WILLING TO ALLOW CHINA AND RUSSIA TO SURPASS OUR CAPABILITIES IN SPACE. WE HAVE BECOME TOO RELIANT ON IT. NOT JUST IN OUR DAILY LIVES COMMERCIALLY, DOMESTICALLY, MILITARILY IT IS ABSOLUTELY INTERTWINED TO EVERYTHING WE DO. >> SECRETARY WILSON, YOU RAISED THE ISSUE OF HOLDING ...

OTHER ASSETS AT RISK. HE DID NOT ANSWER YOUR OWN QUESTION. I SAW A SPEECH YOU GAVE WHEN YOU ASKED ANOTHER BASIC QUESTION, WHAT IS THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES IF ANOTHER COUNTRY DESTROYS ONE OF OUR SATELLITES. YOU DID NOT PROVIDE THE ANSWER. IS THERE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION? SECRETARY WILSON: THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT HAD A DECLARATORY POLICY WITH RESPECT TO SPACE. IT IS TIME ...

WE TALK ABOUT THIS. IF ONE OF OUR SATELLITES, PARTICULARLY THAT PROVIDE INDICATION OF A MISSILE LAUNCH, OR THAT PROVIDES CONTROL FOR OUR NATIONAL COMMAND AUTHORITY, IF ANOTHER COUNTRY INTERFERES WITH SO SATELLITES, WE WOULD CONSIDER THAT TO BE A HOSTILE ACT AND WOULD RESPOND. NOT NECESSARILY IN THE SAME DOMAIN. WE RESPOND ACROSS DOMAINS. WHEN CORNWALLIS WAS DEFEATED AT YORKTOWN, IT WASN'T BECAUSE WE DEFEATED HIM BY BOMBARDING HIM. HE WAS CUT OFF BY THE FRENCH. YOU RESPOND ACROSS DOMAINS HAS A NATION. BY DEMONSTRATING THAT CAPABILITY IN A TIME OF PEACE, WE REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCALCULATION IN CRISIS SO OUR ADVERSARIES KNOW THAT WE WILL RESPOND IF THEY SEEK TO DISRUPT OUR ABILITY TO COMMAND OUR FORCES OR DISRUPT OUR ABILITY TO SEE IF SOMEONE ATTACKS US WITH A MISSILE. BY DECLARATORY POLICY, WE REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT SOMEONE WILL ACTUALLY DESTROY THOSE SATELLITES IN A TIME OF WAR. WE'VE NEVER HAD A DECLARATORY POLICY BEFORE. WE'VE LIVED IN A GLASS HOUSE. WE DID NOT NEED ONE. IT IS TIME FOR THE UNITED STATES TO CONSIDER WHETHER WE NEED THAT KIND OF POLICY. DAVID: SOUNDS LIKE THE TIME HAS PASSED AS WE NEED A DECLARATORY POLICY, IF THESE COUNTRIES HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE OUT OUR SATELLITES. SECRETARY ...

WILSON: AS I SAID, UNTIL JANUARY 20, WE COULD NOT SAY SPACE AND WAR FIGHTING IN THE SAME SENTENCE.

WHEN I WAS GOING UP FOR CONFIRMATION, I HAD TO THOSE WORDS IN THE NAME SENT TO. -- IN THE SAME SENTENCE. THERE WAS A HOLDOVER WHO SOUGHT TO STRIKE IT OUT AND I SAID YOU'LL HAVE TO GET SOMEBODY OF A HIGHER RANK TO DO THAT. [LAUGHTER] DAVID: GENERAL HYTEN, AIRMEN DON'T CARE ABOUT DECLARATORY POLICY. THEY CARE ABOUT RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. ...

WHAT DO I DO IF SUCH AND SUCH HAPPENS? ARE THERE WAS OF ENGAGEMENT FOR OPERATING IN SPACE? GENERAL HYTEN: NO. IT IS THE ONLY DOMAIN, EVEN CYBER WE HAVE RULES. WHEN A SOLDIER OR A SAILOR GOES TO OPERATE A SPACE SYSTEM IN ...

CRADLES -- AND CRITICAL SUPPORT, THEY GO A IN WITHOUT RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. THAT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE INTERNATIONAL MODES OF BEHAVIOR TO START FROM. IT HAS NOT BEEN A CONTESTED ENVIRONMENT TO SIT DOWN AND WALK THROUGH THAT. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. THAT IS ONE REASON WHY I SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL NORMS. WE ARE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT. WE ARE DOING IT OURSELVES IN STRATEGIC COMMAND. THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER IN THE OVERALL SCHEME. THE COMMAND THAT OPERATES IN DEFENSE AND USES SPACE SHOULD NOT DEFINE THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. WITHOUT THAT KIND OF GUIDANCE FROM ABOVE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT. YESTERDAY WAS SIGNIFICANT IN THE O OPERATIONALIZATION OF SPACE. WE HAD A FUNCTIONAL COMPONENT. WE STOOD UP A JOINT FORCE COMPONENT COMMANDER, WENT FROM A THREE STAR TO A FOUR-STAR. HE IS NOW MY COMPONENT COMMANDER. SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME THING, DOESN'T IT? IT'S NOT. IT IS DIFFERENT. IF YOU GO INTO ANY COMBAT AND COMMAND AROUND THE WORLD, BUT YOU FIND IS AN AIR COMPONENT AND MARITIME COMPONENT. STRATA,, USED TO FIND 18 COMPONENTS. NUCLEAR TASK FORCE AND STRUCTURES. -- THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WHEN YOU WALK IN, YOU WILL HAVE AIR, SPACE, LAND, MARITIME. A WAR FIGHTING STRUCTURE THAT EVERYONE WILL UNDERSTAND. WE WILL PUT A FOUR STAR IN FRONT OF IT. AS MUCH AS I LOVE SPACE, IT IS NOT MY TOP PRIORITY IN STRATEGIC COMMAND. MY PRIORITY IS THE NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN STRATCOM. I NEED THE SMARTEST GUY I CAN FIND AND PUT HIM IN CHARGE. THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS ON THE PRESIDENT'S DESK WILL ESTABLISH THAT PERSON. TODAY, FOR THE LAST 12 HOURS, HE IS MY SPACE COMPONENT COMMANDER. >> ONE THING I GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR, THE VICE PRESIDENT -- ONE THING THAT IS HELPING RING A FOCUS ON ...

SPACE, COMMERCIAL SPACE, WHERE WE SEE PLUMMETING COSTS TO LAUNCH AND THE SIDES OF PAYLOADS, AND ALSO THE GROUPS THAT ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT THESE NORMS OF BEHAVIOR. WE THINK ABOUT WHO IS IN CHARGE IN SPACE. ON THE NATIONAL SECURITY SIDE, FOR US, IT IS GENERAL HYTEN. THAT IS NOT THE QUESTION THEY ARE ASKING. WHEN YOU FLIGHT TO TOKYO, YOU FLY THROUGH AN UNGOVERNED AREA. THERE ARE NORMS OF BEHAVIOR FOR HOW THAT HAPPENS OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THE DEVELOPMENT OF NORMS OF BEHAVIOR IN SPACE IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TO BE DONE GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT AND WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WE'VE GOT ISSUES ON LAUNCH, NORMS OF BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT TO CREATING DEBRIS. THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE HAS BEEN KEEPING THE CATALOG OF OBJECTS IN SPACE AND WE ARE NOW IN THE SITUATION OF WE TELL THE CHINESE, THEY PUT 3000 PIECES OF DEBRIS ON ORBIT WHEN THEY DID THE LAUNCH OF 2007 AND DESTROYED A WEATHER SATELLITE. 3000 PIECES OF DEBRIS. THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IS TELLING THE CHINESE WHEN THEIR DEBRIS MIGHT INTERFERE WITH A SATELLITE. THAT IS ONE SERVICE WE PROVIDE. NORMS OF BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT TO DEBRIS ON ORBIT, MINIMIZING DEBRIS. THERE A LOT OF NATION TO NATION THINGS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL SPACE COUNCIL WILL HELP FACILITATE. >> IT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE FOR AN OUTSIDER TO UNDERSTAND THE ...

ORGANIZATION OF ALL THOSE COMMANDS IN SPACE, THE JOINT FUNCTIONAL COMMANDS. IN 2015, THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED THE JOINT INTERAGENCY COMBINED OPERATIONS CENTER. THE WORST ACRONYM IN MILITARY HISTORY. THAT GOT, SOMEBODY WITH A SENSE OF BRANDING, IT MAY HAVE BEEN YOU, CHANGE THAT TO NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER. WHAT IS THE NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER? >> WORDS ARE IMPORTANT. WHEN WE LABELED A PLACE THE JOINT AREA AGENCY COMBINED SPACE OPERATIONS CENTER, WHICH IS EVERY WORD ASSOCIATED WITH SPACE IN ONE ACRONYM AND WE SAID THAT IS THE PLACE. ...

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF A WAS YOU, DAVID, OUR ALLIES, THE SECRETARY, YOU COULD NEVER EXPLAIN WHAT IT WAS. I DECIDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY THAT WE OUGHT TO CALL IT WHAT IT IS -- THAT IS WHAT IT IS. NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER. THE PLACE WHERE WE GO, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, ARMY, NAVY, MARINES, WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIGHT THAT FIGHT. THERE ARE TWO MARINES THAT CAME TO WORK IN THE NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER. I WILL TELL YOU, GENERAL DUNFORD CAME TO VISIT AND HE PUTS HIS EYE ON THOSE YOUNG MARINES AND HE MAKES A BEELINE FOR THEM, IGNORING EVERYONE ELSE. TWO YOUNG CAPTAINS. HE HAS A GREAT TIME. HOW IS LIFE GOING HERE? THEY TOLD HIM A STORY AND AFTER FIVE MINUTES HE REALIZED I SHOULD LEARN WHAT THIS PLACE IS ABOUT. HE MOVED ON. LEAVING THOSE GREENS FEELING GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES. I SAID, OK, YOU TELL ME THE TRUTH. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? SIR, THERE'S 70 PEOPLE IN THE CENTER. 68 OF THEM ARE SMARTER THAN WE ARE. [LAUGHTER] I SAID WHEN IT COMES TO SPACE, THAT IS PROBABLY TRUE. WHEN IT COMES TO WAR FIGHTING, AS A CAPTAIN, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. IF YOU TREAT WHATEVER PROBLEM THAT COMES TO AS A WAR FIGHTING PROBLEM, YOU WILL BE VALUABLE BECAUSE WHY DO YOU MANEUVER? YOU MANEUVER TO AVOID CONTACT AND AGAIN POSITIONS OF ADVANTAGE. THAT IS WHAT YOU TEACH A MARINE FROM THE BEGINNING. HOW DO YOU DEFEND YOURSELF? THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. IT IS A WAR FIGHTING PROBLEM, FOCUSED ON SPACE DEFENSE. THAT IS WHY DOES THE NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER JOINT INTERAGENCY. DAVID: SOUNDS LIKE A BATTLE LAB. GENERAL HYTEN: YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLACE TO FIGHT IT. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS WAR IN SPACE. IT DOESN'T EXIST. THERE IS JUST WAR. YOU DON'T FIGHT A PLACE. YOU HAVE CONFLICT WITH AN ...

ADVERSARY. THE ADVERSARY USES ALL DOMAINS TO GAIN ADVANTAGE. THAT IS WHY STRATCOM IS FOCUSED ON THOSE DOMAINS. WE WANT TO PROVIDE INTEGRATED RESPONSES TO A PROBLEM. WHEN I HAVE A PROBLEM AND IT COMES TO ME IN SPACE, I WILL LOOK TO MY AIR COMPONENT, SPACE, MY MISSILE DEFENSE ELEMENT, AND MY MARITIME COMPONENT TO PROVIDE HELP AND WE WILL WORK WITH THE COMMANDER TO FIGURE OUT THE RESPONSE. IT'S NOT THAT HARD. IT IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD MILITARY PROBLEM. WAR IS A HORRIBLE THING. I NEVER WANT TO FIGHT A WAR THAT GOES INTO SPACE. WE BETTER FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT WITHOUT RUINING THE ENVIRONMENT. >> A NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER, THERE ARE THINGS I TALK ABOUT WE NEED TO DO NOW THAT THE CLASS HOUSE -- GLASS HOUSE -- ...

NEAR REAL-TIME AWARENESS. THE PICTURE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN SPACE. THE SECOND IS THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGE. COMMAND AND CONTROL IN SPACE. THE NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER IS INTENDED TO BRING THOSE TOGETHER. WE HAVE TOLD OUR CONTRACTORS AND PEOPLE WHO BUILD THINGS THERE'S GOING TO BE NO MORE EXQUISITE ONE-OFF SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS OF SPECIFIC THINGS IN SPACE. IF IT DOES NOT INTEGRATE OR SHARE, WE ARE NOT TO BUY IT. IT HAS TO BE COMMAND AND CONTROL INTEGRATED. THE NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER IS MOVING FROM AN EXPERIMENT TO AN OPERATING WAR FIGHTING CENTER WHERE ARMY, NAVY, MARINES, AND OTHER SPACE ELEMENTS WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPERATING PICTURE AND COMMAND AND CONTROL OF WHAT IS GOING ON TO CREATE THE PROTECTION OF OUR HIGH-VALUE ASSETS AND HOLD AT RISK OTHERS. DAVID: OPERATIONAL WAR FIGHTING CENTER? IT IS OPERATIONAL? SECRETARY WILSON: IT LOOKS LIKE ANY OTHER ...

OPS CENTURY WOULD SEE, WHETHER MARITIME, LAND, AIR. >>

LET'S LOOK BACK AT THE WORDS.

NATIONAL SPACE DEFENSE CENTER. IT IS NATIONAL. OUR ALLIES WILL NOT BE THERE. WE ARE BRINGING IN ALL OF THE MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION INTO THAT PLACE AND WE WILL NOT SHARE THAT. I HAVE DIRECTED THE NEW SPACE COMPONENT TIME ONE THAT TO BE A COALITION CENTER BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR. WE ARE COALITION PARTNERS. AND THE COMMERCIAL PARTNERS WE HAVE CAN UNDERSTAND AND WE WILL INTEGRATE BOTH CENTERS TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THAT SEAMLESS COMMAND AND CONTROL WE NEED ACROSS THE SPACE FORCE. INVOLVING ALLIES, THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY. THAT IS THE ENERGY WE HAVE BUILT RIGHT NOW. DAVID: KARI BINGEN, WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS IT MADE TO BRING THE INTELLIGENCE SATELLITES INTO THE OTHER MILITARY SATELLITES? MS. ...

BINGEN: I TALKED ABOUT SPEED AND SCALE AND FOR US TO EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT ALL OF THE WAR FIGHTER OPERATIONS, WE HAVE TO BE FAST. THAT IS ONE COMMON THEME TODAY. ...

ONE OF THE ITEMS I WANTED TO PULL THE THREAD ON, THE DEBRIS WE HAVE IN ORBIT. 2007, 100,000 OBJECTS, DEBRIS IN ORBIT. 10 YEARS LATER, 180,000 OBJECTS. AN 80% INCREASE. WE DO NOT HAVE ALL THE AIRMEN AND ANALYSTS TO WATCH THAT MANY OBJECTS MOVE IN FIGURE OUT WHAT IS MANEUVERING AND COULD THREATEN A SATELLITE. WE NEED TO BRING ADDITIONAL TOOLS TO IDENTIFY AND PREDICT WHAT THAT DEBRIS IS DOING. MAYBE IT IS NOT DEBRIS. THERE ARE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON IN THE BUZZWORD RIGHT NOW IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MACHINE LEARNING. THAT IS A NO-BRAINER. WE HAVE TO INVEST IN THIS. AND BY THE WAY CHINA HAS MADE AIML A MEGAPROJECT. BY 2030, THEY WANT TO INVEST $150 BILLION IN THIS ARENA. THE U.S. PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT, ALMOST $40 BILLION IN THIS ARENA. WE PUT $30 MILLION INTO THIS. THERE IS SOME SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO DO MORE. >> ONE OF MY FAVORITE FACTS ABOUT THE U.S. MILITARY, THE SURVEILLANCE WING AT LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE HAVE THE HIGHEST CAVITY RATE IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE FROM DRINKING ALL THE RED BULL THEY NEEDED TO KEEP ...

AWAKE LOOKING AT THE MONITORS OF ALL THOSE DRONE TEAMS. I REMEMBER HEARING A GENERAL SAY IF ALL OF THE IMAGING SATELLITES THAT ARE PLANNED TO GO IN ORBIT GET THERE, THE U.S. WOULD NEED SOMETHING LIKE ONE MILLION PHOTO ANALYSTSTO HANDLE THAT DATA. >> IF WE DO IT THE SAME WAY. THAT IS ONE AREA OF THEIR IS OPPORTUNITY -- THAT IS ONE AREA WHERE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR ALGORITHMS TO HELP US REDUCE THE NUMBER OF EYEBALLS STARING AT ...

SCREENS AND USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO TIP TO WHERE WE WANT TO LOOK AT. IT IS ALSO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF -- WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THE AIR FORCE HAS FACED? THERE IS NO DOUBT THE MOST DEVASTATING IMPACT ACROSS ALL OF OUR MISSIONS IS NOT FROM OUR ADVERSARIES. IT HAS BEEN FROM SEQUESTER. WE HAVE NOT RECOVERED FROM THE SEQUESTER. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT CAN BE DONE FROM SPACE IS TO LIFT THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT AS IT IS STRUCTURED. SO THE FINANCIAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN THERE. I THINK THERE ARE STRUCTURAL ISSUES AND CHANGES. YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, THE ENTIRE AIR FORCE AND MILITARIES FOCUSED ON WINNING THE FIGHT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE DEVELOPED A GPS SATELLITE, ADVANCING GPS. IT CAME UP WITH THE NEW SATELLITES THAT ARE BEING PUT ON ORBIT, DEVELOPED THE SPACE PLANE, WHICH IS REVOLUTIONARY. I WOULD RATHER BE US THAN THEM. NOW WHERE WE ARE, WE'VE GOT TO PUT THE THROTTLE FORWARD AND BECOME EVEN MORE INNOVATIVE, MORE MACHINE LEARNING, TO GET AHEAD AND STAY AHEAD. >> I HEARD LAST NIGHT THE AIR FORCE WAS LOOKING AT USING AI TO NAVIGATE THE ACQUISITION PROCESS. [LAUGHTER] >> ...

A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN INTELLIGENCE. >> SOME PEOPLE DON'T

REMEMBER, THE NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTELLIGENCE IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE AIR FORCE AND THE CIA. HALF OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE AIR FORCE. THE AIR FORCE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE SPACE BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME. THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD AT IT. WE NEED TO CHANGE IT TO WAR FIGHTING DOMAIN. IN TERMS OF TECHNICAL CAPABILITY, THERE ARE THINGS TO BE PROUD OF. DAVID: GPS CAME UP. YOU GUYS MAKE GPS. I LOOKED AT A GPS SATELLITE, NOT TO LOOK AT IT -- >> DID YOU WANT TO BUY ONE? ...

WE HAVE LOTS OF PAYMENT PLANS. [LAUGHTER] DAVID: IT LOOKED LIKE A JUICY TARGET TO ME. HOW DO YOU DEFEND A GPS SATELLITE? >>

I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY OR TACTICS. THE POINT IS AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, WHAT IS THE

REQUIREMENT IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY? HOW DO WE HAVE IT IN THE CAPACITY THAT CAN MANEUVER AND CAN AVOID AND HAVE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND BRING IN THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T TAKE 12 YEARS? THE MOST EXCITING POINT OF THE CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING SINCE JANUARY IS WE ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION OUT LOUD AND IN PUBLIC WHERE WE ARE FOCUSED ON AN IMPORTANT DOMAIN. HISTORICALLY WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT AS AN RATION OF. WE KNOW IT IS PART OF THE FIBER FOR HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES. AS INDUSTRY, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BRING FORWARD OUR BEST PEOPLE IN TALENT IN A WAY THAT IS ECONOMICAL AND MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE NATION. DAVID: I'M ABOUT TO GO TO QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. CONGRESSMAN ROGERS, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? REP. ROGERS: LISTENING TO GENERAL ...

HYTEN: TALK ABOUT THOSE MARINES, JUST A FUNDAMENTAL HE WAS EMPHASIZING.

IT REMINDED ME OF A CONVERSATION HE HAD WITH MY SUBCOMMITTEE THAT HELPED US UNDERSTAND WHY CHINA AND RUSSIA HAVE STEPPED UP THEIR ACTIVITY.

I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE IT WITH YOU. IT WAS ILLUMINATING. WHEN HE WAS TELLING US INITIALLY HOW MUCH MORE CHINA HAD PUT IN A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR DEFENSE SPENDING INTO NATIONAL SECURITY R&D, AS WELL AS RUSSIA, HE EMPHASIZED, LIKE I TALKED EARLIER OUR DOMESTIC SOCIETY IS RELIANT ON SPACE. THEY REALIZE THAT. THEY ALSO REALIZE TACTICALLY THEY CAN'T DEFEAT US IN A HEAD-ON HAD BATTLE. THEY CAN'T. IF THEY CAN TAKE OUR EYES AND EARS OUT, THEY MAY HAVE A FAIR FIGHT ON THEIR HANDS. WE DON'T WANT TO LET THESE FOLKS HAVE A FAIR FIGHT. THEY CAN'T COMPETE WITH US FINANCIALLY. IF THEY WANT TO BUY A LOT OF WEAPONS SYSTEMS OR OTHER CAPABILITIES, THEY AREN'T AS WEALTHY AS WE ARE AS A NATION. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE THEY SENSE A VULNERABILITY. THEY ACTUALLY CAN PUT THE RESOURCES AGAINST IT TO MAKE US VULNERABLE. IT HELPED US UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED A SENSE OF URGENCY ABOUT THIS AND WHY WE NEED TO HAVE A GREATER PRE-CA SHOULD -- GREATER APPRECIATION ABOUT THIS CONCERN. IT GROWS ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. THE NORTH KOREAN THREAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW THAT HAS HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE RAPT WITH ATTENTION, PEOPLE AREN'T THINKING ABOUT THE FACT OUR FIRST WAY OF DETECTING A LAUNCH BY NORTH KOREA SO THAT WE CAN TURN THE RADARS TO TRACK IT AND AIM OUR INTERCEPTORS TO GET IT IN TIME IS A SATELLITE WAITING FOR THAT HE'D SIGNATURE. WE CAN'T LET THAT SATELLITE BE DAZZLED WITH 10 OR 15 MINUTES. IT WOULD BE TOO LATE. THAT IS WHAT THE SITUATION IS. IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR THIS A-DAY TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. THIS GENTLEMAN HAS BEEN DOING GREAT WORK IN THAT AREA. I APPRECIATE WHAT HE IS DONE FOR OUR COMMITTEE AND NATION. DAVID: I'M GOING TO START WITH SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. THEN I'M GOING TO RUN FOR COVER. IS THE LACK OF A RAPID ACQUISITION PROGRAM A MILITARY OR CONGRESSIONAL PROBLEM? REP. ...

ROGERS: BOTH. THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE AIR FORCE. THIS IS ACROSS ALL THE SERVICES, THIS BUREAUCRATIC, LETHARGIC ACQUISITION PROCESS.

WOULD I WAS HOPEFUL ABOUT, WHEN IT IS IMPLEMENTED, AND IT WILL BE, WE WILL HOPEFULLY HAVE THIS PILOT PROGRAM WE CAN TAKE A BLANK SLATE AND CREATE AN AGILE, NON-BUREAUCRATIC SYSTEM AND PROVE IT WORKS SO WE CAN REPLICATE IT IN THE OTHER SERVICES. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE EARLIER PANEL, CONGRESS IS AS GUILTY AS IT CAN BE FOR NOT -- FOR BEING NEGLIGENT IN PROPERLY RESOURCING THE MILITARY AND ALLOWING THIS SEQUESTER TO CONTINUE. IT WAS ONE OF THE STUPIDEST THINGS IN MY 15 YEARS IN CONGRESS. WE SHOULD OWN IT AND FIX IT. [APPLAUSE] >> ...

I THINK IT IS BOTH AS WELL. I'M TESTIFYING ON ACQUISITION AND I'M GOING TO BRING FORWARD FIVE ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS ON CHANGES TO THE ACQUISITION RULES TO ALLOW US TO GO FASTER. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE A SINGLE FIX. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE JUST LEGISLATIVE OR ADMINISTRATIVE. THERE'S AN IRONY IN THE AIR FORCE THAT WE HAVE OPERATIONAL AIRMEN WHO WILL TAKE RISK ON OUR BEHALF. WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF THE AIR FORCE AND OTHER SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN PUNISHED FOR TAKING RISKS AND OUR RISK-AVERSE. WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY FREE UP, WE WANT THEM TO FAIL FAST, CELEBRATED FOR IT, AND MOVE ON. THAT IS A DIFFERENT CULTURE. IT IS GOING TO TAKE SUSTAINED EFFORT OVER TIME AND PREPARATION AND SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAM MANAGERS WHEN THEY TRY SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T WORK AND THEY MOVE ON. OFTEN TIMES, SENIOR LEADERS IN THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND IN THE CONGRESS WILL SAY, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT NEVER HAPPENS IN? THE ANSWER IS, WE ARE NOT. WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO FAIL. THAT IS WHY WE CALL THEM EXPERIMENTS. WHEN SOMEBODY GETS CALLED UP TO THE HILL, WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE ME TO EXPLAIN WHY SOMETHING DIDN'T WORK, THE ANSWER IS I'M ACCOUNTABLE. I DON'T MIND FAILING FAST AS LONG AS WE CAN MOVE FASTER THAN THE ADVERSARY. DAVID: I DON'T UNDERSTAND WH Y SPACE CORPS WON'T BECOME PRISONER OF THE SAME PROCESS AS THE REST OF THE MILITARY IS HELD HOSTAGE TO. >> ...

I THINK IN THE INITIAL PHASE, THERE WOULD BE ATTENTION TO KEEPING IT LEAN AND AGILE. IT WOULD BE RAPID.

DON'T THINK BUREAUCRATIC CREEP CAN'T GET ANYWHERE. JUST NOT INITIALLY. DAVID: WE COVERED THIS EARLIER, BUT IT IS A RICH TOPIC. THE QUESTION IS, FOR...

HYTEN, WHY IS THE AIR FORCE PLANNING A NEXT GENERATION MISSILE WARNING CONSTELLATION THAT WILL NOT BE OPERATIONAL UNTIL 2029? I WOULD ADD TO THAT QUESTION THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR THE FOLLOW ON NETWORK, DESCRIBE THE REQUEST AS COMPELLING IN URGENT. COMPELLING AND URGENT, 12 YEARS. ANYBODY SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT? GENERAL HYTEN: I AM A COMMANDER. I AM THE NATION'S WAR FIGHTER WHEN IT COMES TO NUKES, SPACE, CYBER MISSILES. ...

MY LOVER IN THIS PROCESS -- LEVEL IN THIS PROCESS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR MAY WAR FIGHTER. IT IS NOT THE SAME THING WE HAVE BEEN DELIVERING IN 2029. MY REQUIREMENT IS A GOOD ENOUGH CAPABILITY THAT SHOULD BE DELIVERED IN ADVANCE OF THE 2029 DATE. I HAVE TALKED TO ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT IS POSSIBLE. IT IS NOT UNREALISTIC. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO LEFT OF THE REQUIREMENTS RUN WILD. THE WAY I DESCRIBED IT, IT IS A SIMPLE SATELLITE. IT IS NOT HARD. I WAS AROUND FOR THE SUMMER STUDY OF 1995. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH IT, GO BACK TO 1995 WHEN WE SAID IF WE PUT ANOTHER SENSOR ON IT, WE COULD PUT A SCANNER. WE COULD DO TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE AND MISSILE DEFENSE. WE COULD DO THEATER MISSILE WARNING. STRATEGIC WARNINGS. WE COULD DO IT ALL ON ONE SATELLITE. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. $7 BILLION LATER, WE'RE TRYING TO CHASE THAT. WE HAVE TO HOLD THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER CONTROL TO GO FAST. WE CAN. ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS I AM ADAMANT ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS AND I'M GOING TO WATCH THEM CLOSELY. IT IS UP TO THE AIR FORCE TO GO BUILD IT. I THINK WE HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP IN THE ACQUISITION BUSINESS RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY, WHO NEEDS INFRARED SATELLITE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. IF YOU PUT THOSE PIECES TOGETHER, WE COULD BUY A LOT OF CAPABILITIES FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE ARE PUTTING INTO THE BUDGET. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO KEEP BUYING BILLION DOLLARS SATELLITES AND PUT THEM UP AND TRY TO DEFEND THEM. YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE. IF YOU CAN MAKE THEM $200 MILLION, $100 MILLION, ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES OPEN UP. WE HAVE TO GO DOWN THAT PATH WAY. WE HAVE TO. I CAN'T CONTROL THE ACQUISITION PROCESS. I CAN CONTROL THE REQUIREMENT OUT OF THE COMBATANT COMMAND AND I WILL DO THAT. SECRETARY WILSON: ONE OF THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE AIR FORCE, JON VOIGHT, WHO WAS THE FATHER OF THE F-16. ...

USE AN ICONOCLAST. HE WAS ALWAYS CLASHING WITH THE OFFICIALS. I'M SO TEMPTED SOMETIMES TO TAKE ONE OF THE LESSONS FROM JOHN BOYD, NO REQUEST WILL BE LONGER THAN 30 PAGES AND EVERY PROPOSAL IS NO LONGER THAN 50 AND IT HAD BETTER BE DENSE WITH SPECIFIC STUFF. THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO THAT TAKE US BACK TO OUR ROOTS AS BICYCLE MECHANICS WHO GET THINGS DONE AND DON'T LET THE PAPERWORK SLOW US DOWN. DAVID: WHY IS THE NEED FOR A NEW MISSILE WARNING SO URGENT AND COMPELLING? GENERAL ...

HYTEN: THE SECRETARY DESCRIBED IT PRETTY WELL. I WAS WATCHING IT THE OTHER NIGHT. EVERY MISSILE THAT COMES OFF THE

PLANET IS SEEN FIRST BY ONE OF OUR CAPABILITIES. THE FIRST SATELLITE LAUNCHED QUITE A WHILE AGO NOW. WE HAVE SIX TO BUY AND THEN WE HAVE TO DECIDE AFTER THAT. THOUGH SATELLITES ARE NOT EASY TO DEFEND. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE THAT CAPABILITY. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MISSIONS STRATCOM HAS, FOR THE NATION AND WORLD. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT IS THERE. IT HAS TO SURVIVE ON ORBIT. IT CAN'T BE A TARGET THAT IS EASY FOR AN ADVERSARY TO GET AFTER. WE HAVE TO PUT THOSE THINGS TOGETHER. THE WAY YOU DO THAT IS IF YOU ONLY PUT ONE SATELLITE, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TODAY, I BELIEVE YOU CAN PUT IT IN ORBIT. WHAT YOU SEE IS GOING TO BLOW YOU AWAY. IT WILL BE AMAZING. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL THE OTHER ROOM? I WANT GAS AND A BIGGER MOTOR. IF I CAN MOVE QUICK, EVERYTHING CHANGES. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, I'M LOOKING AT A LOT OF PILINGS IN THE AUDIENCE. -- PILOT WINGS IN THE AUDIENCE. IF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THE ADVERSARY, I DO WANT TO BE FLYING B-52'S AROUND THE HEAVENS WHEN THE GUY THAT CAN SHOOT ME IS RIGHT THERE. IT IS JUST A SIMPLE WAR FIGHTING PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY. DAVID: WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CONTRACTOR LEVEL WHEN REQUIREMENTS RUN WILD? MS. ...

CARET: STABLE REQUIREMENTS ARE THE KEY TO ANY PROGRAM. WHETHER IT IS ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, INDUSTRY SIDE, IF WE DON'T DELIVER, IF WE PROVIDE, IF WE

HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE CUSTOMER, THAT HAMPERS THEIR ABILITY TO DO OTHER THINGS. I AM ACCOUNTABLE FROM A BOEING PERSPECTIVE. HAVING STABLE REQUIREMENTS IS OUR SINGH WILL BEST FRIEND. WE UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE GOING TO OPERATE. IT IS NOT JUST GETTING A SET OF CORPORATION. IT IS HAVING INSIDE. IT IS MAKING CERTAIN THE LANGUAGE WE ARE USING WE ALL UNDERSTAND AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT MEASUREMENTS IN PLACE TECHNICALLY AND FINANCIALLY SO WE CAN PROVIDE A WIN-WIN. INDUSTRY'S ONLY HERE BECAUSE OF OUR CUSTOMER. THERE IS NO BENEFIT TO US TO NOT BE PARTNERED. THERE IS NOT BENEFIT TO NOT INVEST. WE ARE GOING TO BE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT FROM A BOEING PERSPECTIVE, THROUGH GOOD AND BAD. WE WILL OWN IT WHEN WE MESS UP. I LIKE TO MINIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MESS UP. >> WHEN I WAS A LIEUTENANT, I WAS IN THE ACQUISITION BUSINESS. THAT IS WHY I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. ...

THE PERSON I WANTED TO BE WAS THE KERNEL. I DID NOT WANT TO BE THE GENERAL. THAT IS HORRIBLE. [LAUGHTER] WHY DID I WANT THAT? THEY HAD THE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THINGS DONE. THEY WERE GOING TO DELIVER GPS FOR THE WORLD. THEY WERE THE ONES THAT CHANGED WARFARE. THEY DELIVER THE CAPABILITIES. I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF BIG FAILURES AND I REMEMBER THE FIRINGS THAT CAME WITH THOSE FAILURES. WE HELD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. THERE'S 10 PEOPLE LINED UP TO TAKE THOSE JOBS. PUT ME IN, COACH, I CAN GET IT DONE. NOW WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING COLONELS IN THE ACQUISITION BUSINESS. WE DO NOT GIVE THEM THE AUTHORITY. THAT IS CHANGING NOW WITH THE SECRETARY'S LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE A CULTURE THAT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT. MAN, WHEN THE LIEUTENANT AND CAPTAIN'S WANT TO BE THE COLONEL S AGAIN, WE WILL GET IT RIGHT. SECRETARY WILSON: WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN MORE AUTHORITY. WE ARE DELEGATING DOWN. ...

THEY GAVE US EIGHT MORE YESTERDAY. THEY HAVE DELEGATED MORE DOWN, SECRETARY LORD DID. OF OUR SECOND-LEVEL PROTOCOL, THERE ARE 42 OF THEM. ALL 42 ARE WITH THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY. OF THE THIRD LEVEL, THERE ARE 373 OF THOSE. 274 ARE AT THE FULL COLONEL LEVEL OR BELOW. WE HAVE PUSHED AUTHORITY BACKED DOWN. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE SKILLS AND EDUCATION TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE JOBS, THEY ARE ALL BUSTING BUTTS. THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS WORK. WE ARE GOING TO KEEP BUREAUCRACY OUT OF THEIR WAY. THAT IS WHAT BIG IT UP EVERY MORNING TO DO, TO SUPPORT THE GUYS AND GALS ON THE LINE WHO ARE TAKING THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY. THAT IS A TREMENDOUSLY SATISFYING PIECE OF WORK. DAVID: WHEN WE WERE DOING A STORY ON SPACE COMMAND TO AN HALF YEARS AGO, YOU TOLD ME ABOUT -- TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, YOU TOLD ME ABOUT GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT. ...

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT WITH THE SATELLITES. YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD PUT UP AWARENESS SATELLITES. THEY WERE NOT OPERATIONAL WHEN WE WERE TALKING. THEY'VE BEEN OPERATIONAL TWO YEARS. WHAT HAVE THEY FOUND? GENERAL HYTEN: I WON'T TELL YOU. [LAUGHTER] OUR ADVERSARIES KNOW THEY ARE THERE. ...

THEY WATCH THEM CLOSELY. THEY UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT GOES ON IN THAT CRITICAL REAL ESTATE IN SPACE, WE CAN WATCH IT, WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE OF IT, AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT SOMETHING TO DO. THAT IS DETERRENCE. DETERRENCE, THE FUNDAMENTALS OF DETERRENCE HAVE NOT CHANGED. THAT IS MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. THE ABILITY TO IMPOSE COST ON AN ADVERSARY, WHICH IS WHAT YOU THINK WHEN YOU GET TO THE NUCLEAR BUSINESS. MAKING SURE YOUR CREDIBLE AND IT IS COMMUNICATED WELL. SPACE FOCUSES ON THE DENY BENEFIT THAN THE IMPOSE COST SIDE. ONE WAY YOU DO THAT IS HAVING EXQUISITE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, WHICH THOSE SATELLITES PROVIDE. THAT IS A POWERFUL DETERRENT BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN PUT ABOVE THE EARTH THAT WE WON'T KNOW ABOUT. DAVID: YOU SAID THERE WERE FOUR SECONDS LEFT. [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE COME TO THE END OF THE PANEL. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY UP HERE ON THE STAGE FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE FOR BEING PATIENT LISTENERS. ...

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL CABLE SATELLITE CORP. 2017] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG] >> ...