US Space Force Unveils Data and AI Strategic Action Plan

The U.S. Space Force has released its Strategic Action Plan for Data and Artificial Intelligence for Fiscal Year 2024, outlining precise directives for the organization to achieve data-centric capabilities necessary for conducting operations in contested environments.

According to the plan, the Space Force must adopt modern, adaptive, and agile data and analytic capabilities to enable secure discovery, access, integration, and use of intelligence data at the speed of mission requirements.

To do so, the service will focus on the following four lines of efforts to make data visible, accessible, understandable, linked, trustworthy, interoperable and secure:

• Mature, enterprise-wide data and AI governance
• Advance a data and AI-driven culture
• Reoptimize data, advance analytics, and AI technologies
• Strengthen government, academic, industry, and international partnerships

“It is essential that we have a coordinated framework necessary to align with the DAF — and synchronize stakeholders across the Space Force,’’ stated Chandra L. Donelson, Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer for the Space Force. “This holistic enterprise approach mapped out within this new data action plan sets USSF forth a path to ensure there is never a day without space data for our nation, allies and partners.”

“To remain competitive in the era of Great Power Competition, the United States Space Force requires a unified approach across data, analytics, and AI activities; an educated, empowered workforce skilled at incorporating commercial teams and tools; continued advanced research and rapid experimentation; and effective integration with our allies and partners,” said Col. Nathan L. Iven, acting chief technology and innovation officer for the Space Force. 

“To deliver on this vision, the USSF Data and AI FY 2024 Strategic Action Plan identifies initial actions for organizations that are essential for establishing processes, building capacity, and aligning existing efforts to better leverage data as a strategic asset,” Col. Nathan L. Iven added.