Air Force Subsumes Responsive Space Office

The Pentagon’s Operationally Responsive Space office now falls under the oversight of the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., announced center officials. “We are excited to integrate the ORS office into our team as we continue to deliver capability to our warfighters at the speed of need,” said Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, SMC commander, during an assumption-of-command ceremony earlier this month for the ORS office’s new director, Col. John Anttonen, according to SMC’s March 19 release. “This realignment will benefit all of our mission areas by bringing ORS principles and capabilities to bear across the portfolio while providing the ORS office with closer access to the incredible depth and expertise of the [SMC] directorates,” said Pawlikowski. The joint office, located at Kirtland AFB, N.M., formerly resided organizationally under the Office of the Secretary of Defense, but the Fiscal 2013 defense authorization act stipulated that the office shift under SMC, the Air Force’s space acquisition arm. The ORS office is charged with rapidly developing responsive space capabilities, such as small-sized communications or imagery satellites, that support combatant commanders. (See also Coming Down the Pike.)