New capability will remove barriers to classified collaboration, strengthen the defense industrial base and accelerate delivery of critical capabilities
The Department of War today announced the Secure Space Network, a new effort to expand access to classified work by designing, producing, and deploying approximately 50 mobile Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and related information systems across the United States. This effort will enable more defense suppliers to participate in classified development, collaboration, and production by broadening regional access to accredited secure workspaces.
Led by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment's Office of Industrial Base Growth, the Secure Space Network will provide rapidly deployable secure facilities that can be positioned at military installations, industry-focused sites such as APEX Accelerators, and other mission-relevant locations.
"We must make it easier for capable companies to contribute at every level of the mission. Industry has identified access to classified environments as a major barrier, and the Secure Space Network directly addresses that challenge by opening the door to classified work for more companies. With strong partnership across the agency and support from Congress, this effort will strengthen our supplier base and help deliver the capabilities our warfighters need faster and at greater scale," said James R. Mismash, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Growth and Director of the Office of Small Business Programs.
The Secure Space Network addresses a persistent barrier facing companies seeking to support national defense: access to the secure infrastructure necessary to perform classified work. By making accredited secure environments available for companies in more locations across the country, the Department can expand the pool of companies able to contribute capabilities, collaborate directly with government teams, and compete for classified defense work.
Expanding the Defense Industrial Base
Many companies with technologies relevant to national security do not have ready access to accredited facilities where classified information can be discussed, developed and integrated. For emerging and non-traditional suppliers seeking to work with the Department, establishing fixed classified infrastructure can require significant time and investment, creating a barrier to entry and business expansion.
The Secure Space Network provides a scalable alternative.
Mobile secure facilities can be rapidly deployed, while fixed facilities can provide enduring secure collaboration capacity. Together, these capabilities will drastically expand where government and authorized industry partners can conduct classified work.
The result is a larger and more capable supplier base with greater opportunities to move from unclassified engagement into classified development and production, increasing competition across the industrial base.
Building Secure Capacity at Speed and Scale
This initial production effort will establish a repeatable capability to expand secure infrastructure as national and industrial requirements grow.
The Secure Space Network will also establish scalable production capacity for the mobile units, providing the Department with a surge-capable pathway for rapidly increasing accredited secure workspace capacity across the defense industrial base.
Rather than relying solely on traditional facility construction, the approach gives the Department greater flexibility to position secure capabilities closer to emerging mission requirements, suppliers and technology development activities.
Advancing Acquisition Transformation
The Secure Space Network advances Acquisition Transformation by using an agile, iterative approach to reduce risk and accelerate delivery, in partnership with Space Development Agency. At the same time, expanding access to secure infrastructure enables more suppliers to participate in classified work—strengthening competition and growing defense industrial base to deliver capability to the warfighter faster.