9th Space Operations Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 9th Space Operations Squadron


caption= 9th Space Operations Squadron emblem
dates= 19xx-Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
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size=
command_structure=310th Space Wing
current_commander=
garrison= Vandenberg AFB, California
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto= SEMPER SUMMATUM — Always the Highest
colors=
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The United States Air Force's 9th Space Operations Squadron (9 SOPS) is a space operations unit located at Vandenberg AFB, California. 9 SOPS operates the Joint Space Operations Center, or JSpOC, performing combat operations, plans, strategy and intelligence assessments enabling the commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space to command and control space forces by providing worldwide space effects to combatant commanders.

Mission

9th SOPS is an associate unit to the 614th Air and Space Operations Center, and augment the active duty in day-to-day operations of the 14th Air Force. The AOC is a 24-hour operation center designed to provide commanders with up-to-date information on the status of Air Force satellites. The satellites provide weather, intelligence, communication and navigational data necessary for strategic planning of U.S. military operations. [http://www.fas.org/news/usa/1999/11/n19991102_992018.htm FAS.org: "Reserve activates two new space units"]

History

The AOC provides the means for tracking and monitoring the status of 141 space units worldwide, said Lt. Col. Patrick Phelps, 9th SOPS commander. These units provide the data for surveillance, space warning, satellite command and control, and space launch capabilities.

"We don't operate any particular systems; it's our job to monitor, direct and integrate the systems that are already there," said Phelps.

"Reservists provide a strong foundation of knowledge and experience to the mission," said Ansted. "There's continuous rollover on active duty, and our personnel provide stability because they're usually there for six years. They retain corporate knowledge of the systems and pass that along to their active-duty counterparts when they arrive."

At the 9th SOPS activation ceremony, Maj. Gen. Robert Hinson, 14th Air Force commander at Vandenberg, said reliance on the Reserve and Air National Guard has increased since the end of the Cold War.

"Our ability to ... maintain our nation's superiority in space is dependent upon them (Guard and Reserve) as critical contributors to part of a cohesive total force," said Hinson. (Courtesy of Air Force Reserve Command News Service)

Previous designationsRogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0

*9th Space Operations Squadron (???-Present)

Bases stationed

*Vandenberg AFB, California (???-Present)

ystems OperatedWorld Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3

*Non-Falconer Air Operations Center (???-Present)

References