SSC hosts Architecture Baseline Review Published Sept. 21, 2021 By Space Systems Command Public Affairs LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Space Systems Command’s Space Systems Architect hosted its fifth Architecture Baseline Review (ABR 5) here Sept. 14-15, 2021. “More than 100 local and virtual attendees from the science and technology community, SSC Corps, Space Operations Command (SpOC), Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC), Secretary of the Air Force headquarters, U.S. Space Force headquarters, and other mission partners and stakeholders participated in the event,” said Maj. Christopher Hare, the ABR 5 planning and execution lead. The Architecture Baseline Review is a semi-annual forum hosted by SSC’s Space Systems Architect to synchronize space enterprise stakeholders and acquisition activities and create unity of effort towards delivering the Space Force of the future. ABRs baseline the current architecture, identify gaps, and translate Force Design guidance into actionable plans and prioritized investments to deliver future capability. “ABR 5 was a pivotal step forward, due not only to the high-quality products presented by the Capability Areas & Cross-Mission Areas, but the excellent attendance and enthusiastic engagement from across the community,” said Col. Ryan Colburn, Spectrum Warfare Division Chief for Space Systems Architect. “The event provided a comprehensive look at the broad activities in work and in planning across the enterprise,” Colburn continued. “It also highlighted the many synergies, dependencies, and opportunities among the portfolios and captured recommendations from the community to address the future needs of the architecture.” ABR 5 set out the starting point from which this year’s Portfolio Teams (tri-chaired by SSC, SWAC and SpOC or STARCOM) will begin preparing plans for investment in the future architecture. The ABR also provided the science and technology community with a list of USSF needs to help prioritize analysis, experiments, demos, prototypes, and partnerships and included several opportunities for capabilities that could be provided by international partners. Building upon guidance from the SWAC’s recent Force Design Conference, ABR 5 presented baseline architectures (current/future) from across the Space Force enterprise. Mission reviews included gaps, roadmaps, analysis/tech priorities and FY24 Program Objective Memorandum (POM) recommendations for each of the Capability Areas & Cross Mission Areas. “The success of ABR 5 positions the USSF and our partners to build upon these shared achievements going forward,” said Col. Dave Learned, Space Systems Architect acting director. “We will continue the essential work necessary to inform and deliver the CSO’s force design objectives to stay ahead of the evolving threat. This demands we capture and understand our enterprise dependencies so we can effectively develop standards and modular, open systems interfaces, prioritize analysis and development efforts, identify technology on-ramp opportunities and potential Allied partnerships, create focused Industry engagements, and inform sound investment priorities in support of the FY24 POM build.” The next event, ABR 6, is currently planned for spring of 2022.