Space Systems Command (SSC) has awarded a $10 million University-Affiliated Research Center laboratory contract to the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Lab (APL) to ensure software and cyber best practices are adhered to in the newly awarded Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) ground segment, known as Ground Resilient Integration & Framework for Operational Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (GRIFFON).
Photo Credit: Lt. Col. Laila Barasha.
SSC’s ESS system will provide the survivable and endurable satellite communications capability for the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) mission. GRIFFON encompasses a framework and mission capability applications, to mirror best practices in ground software acquisition across the community. APL, as the government partner for independent software testing, will enable ESS to mitigate ground integration risks. APL has a long-standing history as a strategic United States Department of Defense research center attached to a university.
ESS is part of a system of systems that also includes joint SATCOM terminals and a National Security Agency-managed, Cryptographic Infrastructure that will evolve and modernize the existing ground system to meet new requirements.
ESS uses multiple alternate acquisition pathways for each of its capability areas. The Space segment is a Middle-Tier Acquisition rapid prototyping contract, with a production contract Request for Proposal projected for release in early 2024. The Ground segment is leveraging Software Acquisition Pathway contracts to promote non-traditional vendor teaming. The Crypto segment is currently in source selection. The government team has brought together many mission partners, to include JHU/APL, to enable system integration.
“Our mission and our timelines are informed by threat scenarios to assure strategic endurance, and on the worst of days, ensure our National Command Authority can communicate without fail with our joint strategic and nuclear forces, partner nations, and Allies. ESS is the backbone for joint all-domain nuclear command, control, and communications, and will provide the integrated, survivable, and resilient ground and satellite communications capability necessary to deter in competition, deescalate in crisis, and defeat in conflict.” — Col. A.J. Ashby, Senior Materiel Leader for SSC’s Strategic SATCOM Acquisition Delta
“Partnering with APL allows our program to have a test bed for the ESS framework prototypes and a pseudo production-environment for analyzing agile software drops. With a focus on cyber-resilient architecture, APL is ensuring that software best practices and lessons learned are baked in to make this system successful faster than predecessor ground systems. Due to the classified nature of the [nuclear] program and the need to protect our data at higher compartmentalized levels, our industry partners are prototyping in a more complex and dynamic environment than other similar software programs. APL brings the expertise we need to ensure our nation’s NC3 capabilities are developed correctly from the start, hand-in-hand with our innovative industry partners.” — Lt. Col. Laila Barasha, materiel leader for SSC ESS Ground
“We are excited to bring JHU/APL space operations and software systems expertise to Space Systems Command by leveraging decades of civilian space exploration experience and mission success. We truly appreciate another opportunity to support GRIFFON mission partners and ensure that the latest agile software development processes are properly and effectively implemented to meet the warfighter’s mission needs.” — Michael Kim, program manager at APL