Classification Policy Changes to Strengthen Allied Space Partnerships

Combined Space Operations Initiative (CSpO) Spotlights Relevance of Classification in Joint Fight Operations 

When Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks signed a memo to initiate changes in the Department of Defense’s (DOD) classification policy for space programs, the move marked a tangible moment in the push to adapt traditional classification policies for a modern space era. Historically, high classification thresholds for space-based capabilities were designed to protect Cold War-era secrets. But as the DOD has sought to extend Allied partnerships into the space domain through programs like the Combined Space Operations Initative (CSpO), classified designations such as Special Access Programs (SAP) and No Foreign Dissemination (NOFORN) can – at times – compromise their effectiveness.  

“Over-classification in space goes back to the roots of why we were doing military space in the first place: the Cold War,” said Lt Gen (Ret.) John Shaw, former Deputy Commander of United States Space Command and partner at Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy. “Our space capabilities were closely guarded because they were strategic, cutting-edge technologies that were closely aligned with our nuclear capabilities. But now, we need to integrate those space capabilities into other warfighting domains, functions and forces.” 

The push for a modernized approach to space program classification comes as the domain has evolved through what General Shaw describes as the three ‘Space Ages.’ The First Space Age aligns directly with the Cold War era, when the space sector was largely driven by U.S. national security concerns and required restrictive classification policies.  

Then after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Second Space Age emerged as a benign space environment that enabled space-based capabilities like G.P.S. navigation and satellite communications to mature through civilian and commercial programs. But as General Shaw wrote in a recent Wall Street Journal opinion editorial, space is no longer benign. 

“Around 2015, we transitioned into the Third Space Age as space became a warfighting domain,” Gen Shaw said. “The great miracle of the Second and Third Space Ages is that we are now so reliant on space that we need to integrate it with our joint warfighting and Allied forces. We now have an adversary going after our space-based capabilities, and that magnifies the urgency for Allied integration more than ever.” 

Adapting Classification Policy to the Modern Era

In order to effectively coordinate military operations across Allied forces, however, the DOD needs to be able to communicate with its international partners.  

“The United States can’t go it alone in the space domain,” said Lt Gen (Ret.) Nina Armagno, former Director of Staff for the United States Space Force and partner at Elara Nova. “We have to be able to share our capabilities with Allies to fight in an integrated manner, so we can keep up with Chinese and Russian space-based weapon systems. But that means our Allies need to understand these space systems as well, and that is the most compelling reason for updating classification policies.” 

According to General Armagno, classification designations are often assigned early in the acquisition process. But once a capability is designated with an SAP, NOFORN or other top-secret classification, that label often persists even as the technology matures into a fully-fledged weapons system or program of record. 

So while the memo re-writing the classification policy remains classified itself, the changes are expected to enable the DOD to intentionally and strategically reveal certain secrets that can be leveraged as an advantage – similar to weapon systems and military programs in other domains.  

“Some technologies should be highly-classified, but there are times when we want to deter our adversaries by letting them know we’ve developed a system,” Gen Armagno said. “The B-21 is an example where the technologies that make it special are highly-classified, but the fact a B-21 exists is unclassified. So sometimes we want to reveal certain capabilities, but the space community has struggled to strike this balance for a while.”  

While General Armagno has not seen the final structure of the classification framework, she was directly involved in developing the new policy in its early stages.  

“The framework was designed to break down systems, capabilities and technologies into categories of classification, including SAPs that we can intentionally share with Allies at a classified level,” Gen Armagno said. “Intentionally declassifying systems in order for our Allies to participate is important, but what’s equally important is bringing Allies directly into the fold and clearing them for higher classifications. This way, we can both protect the information and technologies that we think are worthy of protecting, but still share capabilities with our most trusted Allies.” 

Extending Allied Partnerships into Space

The modernized policy is expected to strengthen initiatives the United States has already undertaken to extend Allied partnerships into the space domain. In 2014, the DOD introduced the “Combined Space Operations Initiative,” an international forum designed to normalize the responsible use of space and ensure space sustainability as technologies advance in the military’s latest warfighting domain.  

Known as “CSpO,” the initiative has had early success as it has since released its Combined Space Operations Vision 2031 document and added more nations to its growing list of participants. The move to re-structure the classification policy, therefore, is seen as one that will capitalize on the momentum initiatives like CSpO have been building.  

“CSpO was a mechanism to bring Allied leaders together for a discussion about policy,” Gen Shaw said. “You can think of CSpO as a lobby to a large hotel. It marks the beginning of discussions with Allies. It is getting Allies in the door, having the discussion and proceeding to normalized operational orders, relationships, command and control and even integrated architectures.” 

Space-based architectures, much like the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, are widely viewed as an increasingly critical component to modern-day military operations across all warfighting domains. At the international level, NATO recently announced a Space Branch in support of their own space-based efforts, like a remote-sensing constellation for intelligence, surveillance and reconniassaince (ISR).  

“The national security space architecture is going to be augmented with Allied capabilities, but not every country has to bring a satellite to a space communications architecture,” Gen Armagno said. “In space, you don’t have to follow the traditional example of an Allied partnership where a country contributes its own sovereign capability. For example, a NATO country could buy or contribute funds to purchasing a commercial space communications service. Ultimately, Allies are going to have to decide what they want to bring to the table so that we can operate together.” 

Considering that not every nation or Allied partner may be capable of providing their own assets to a space architecture, initiatives like CSpO are designed to directly facilitate innovative and collaborative solutions for Allied partners to leverage in response to space-based threats from Russia and China.  

Classification Policy and Commercial Space Partnerships

But as the global space economy emerges and nations cultivate their own space industries, so will an opportunity to collaborate with new commercial space partners.  

“It’s inevitable that we’re going to see growth of commercial space-oriented organizations in other Allied countries, as well,” Gen Shaw said. “In the same way that there are many aircraft-producing companies in other nations, there’s going to be an emergence of commercial space companies in other nations. We just haven’t gotten there as a global space economy yet, but we will.” 

Therefore, effective communication with commercial space partners will also be contingent on a modernized classification policy. 

“This new approach opens the door for commercial capabilities providing a space-based service,” Gen Armagno said. “Commercial companies are developing cutting-edge technologies outside of bureaucratic restraints, but the Pentagon must evaluate the risk-reward analysis of our classification policy in order to integrate those capabilities appropriately. The Pentagon has to consider the balance between protecting 20 year-old secrets or embracing the risk to bring on the highest-performing technology in the world, so our Joint Force can reap the benefits.” 

For maintaining the current classification policy, may in fact be counterintuitive to facilitating Joint Force success. 

“There are a lot of commercial companies producing cutting-edge space capabilities that may be more advanced than the more traditional ones that we’ve developed,” Gen Shaw said. “So we could make a mistake by classifying capabilities that the commercial industry might already be using. There’s going to be some cognitive dissonance there that may compromise our ability to integrate as effectively as we could.” 

Classification Policy Critical to Allied Success

The need to communicate effectively with Allied and commercial partners will only grow more critical as the DOD moves forward into the Third Space Age. 

“The right time was probably ten or 20 years ago,” Gen Shaw said. “But the urgency is greater now than ever before because the Joint Forces and the Allied Forces’ reliance on space is greater today than it was yesterday, and it will be greater tomorrow than it is today. So if we’re going to account for that in multi-domain joint warfighting, we have to be able to communicate and understand what’s possible to synchronize the interdependencies of all of our capabilities.” 

Elara Nova, too, recognizes the strategic relevance of classification policy and how it relates to Allied and commercial partnerships in the space domain. As such, the consulting firm is developing its own international portfolio to support these efforts through a variety of means.  

“Elara Nova was born for navigating these challenges,” Gen Armagno said. “The founders and partners at Elara Nova are the mentors and figures who stood up the Space Force. They’re trusted because they’re in it for the right reasons. They can conduct studies and assessments, write strategies and bring capabilities to bear for partner nations, while finding success in doing so.” 

Elara Nova is a global consultancy and professional services firm focused on helping businesses and government agencies maximize the strategic advantages of the space domain. Learn more at https://elaranova.com/.