Space Force IT, Data Analytics, Digital Solutions

Space Force IT, Data Analytics, Digital Solutions is a United States Space Force (USSF) initiative under the Air Force Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, focused on advancing digital transformation across the Space Force. The program's overarching goal is to modernize the capability development lifecycle, streamline acquisition, enhance cybersecurity, and improve operational effectiveness through three major projects: Digital Engineering, SSC Developmental IT Infrastructure, and Integrated Operations Networking. These efforts are coordinated primarily by Space Systems Command (SSC) and are designed to meet the needs of a digitally-driven service, supporting a wide range of stakeholders from engineers and program managers to mission partners and industry.

Digital Engineering aims to deliver the Digital Engineering Ecosystem (DEE), a cloud-based, multi-level security suite of applications and infrastructure. The DEE is intended to connect digital threads across the capability development lifecycle, integrating acquisition, test, training, and operational data for thousands of users, with plans for further expansion. The project supports integration across multiple security domains and provides tools for collaboration, modeling, and simulation. It also funds science and technology research, including partnerships with academic institutions to advance artificial intelligence (AI) for Space Domain Awareness, Command & Control, and advanced space training. The DEE is central to the USSF's vision of becoming a Digital Service, enabling more responsive, threat-informed product development and operational planning.

SSC Developmental IT Infrastructure provides enterprise-level support for cybersecurity integration, vulnerability management, and IT modernization across SSC program offices. Its objectives include developing and implementing cybersecurity tools and processes, aligning policies with DoD and federal directives, and supporting risk management and authorization decisions. The project also focuses on cryptography modernization, supply chain risk management (SCRM) using AI/ML tools, and the development of agile information access and authentication capabilities.

Additionally, SSC Developmental IT Infrastructure supports software modernization through adoption of DevSecOps practices, deployment of authorized cloud environments, and expansion of digital mobility programs. The project hosts the Cyber Halo Innovation Research Program (CHIRP), which provides educational pathways into cybersecurity careers.

Integrated Operations Networking is a newly separated line item in FY 2026, consolidating previous efforts under DITI. ION's primary goal is to provide a secure, reliable, multi-classification data transport backbone for Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications (BMC3) missions. This dynamic, cloud-based network will connect sensors, C2 centers, and tactical units, supporting high bandwidth and low latency requirements, and integrating with the Unified Data Library for data exposure and dissemination.

The program emphasizes closing critical kill-web gaps, implementing Zero Trust, cryptography modernization, and SCRM, and leveraging commercial IT capabilities to reduce technology debt. ION will also explore AI applications to enhance decision support and operational resilience in contested environments.

Each project within Space Force IT, Data Analytics, Digital Solutions is structured to support rapid prototyping, integration, and scaling of digital capabilities. Acquisition strategies leverage Other Transaction Authority (OTA), Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), and partnerships with Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), in accordance with DoD software acquisition directives. The program is designed to operate in high-fidelity, realistic environments, ensuring solutions are robust and adaptable to evolving threats and operational needs.

Budget adjustments in recent years reflect Congressional reductions for unjustified requirements and underexecution, as well as realignments to support higher USSF priorities and government efficiency initiatives. The FY 2026 request includes funding distributed across the three main projects, with significant investments in digital engineering integration, cybersecurity modernization, and network infrastructure expansion. These investments are justified by the need to accelerate capability development, enhance cyber resilience, and ensure the Space Force remains agile and effective in the face of emerging adversarial threats.