As the U.S. Space Force (USSF) continues to chart its future course and expand its operational reach, its acquisition field command is activating several new units – known as Systems Deltas (SYD) – in the coming months to consolidate acquisition efforts under mission-focused commands.
The latest SYD Space Systems Command (SSC) activated – SYD 85 – will be responsible for delivering integrated capabilities across key areas of Space Domain Awareness, including missile warning and tracking, missile defense, command and control, battle management, and space intelligence.
USSF Col. Jason West assumed command of SYD 85 during an activation and assumption of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base on Aug. 8.
“Our systems are the foundation that makes all other systems work. Without battlespace awareness, we are blind. Without intelligence, we are lost,” West said in a statement. “On day one, I have one standing order for SYD 85: seize the opportunities that this new structure affords. SYD 85 will enable the warfighter mentality and empower our forces to maintain the strategic advantage from space.”
SYD 85 includes three System Program Directors overseeing Battlespace Awareness, Battle Management, and Space Access & Networked Services, as well as a System Program Manager dedicated to space intelligence initiatives. These leaders are charged with delivering sensors, data systems, satellite control antennas, and software designed to counter adversary threats and ensure operational advantage in orbit.
According to SSC officials, SYD 85 will also play a central role in advancing the mission of the Program Executive Office for Battle Management, Command, Control, Communication, and Space Intelligence (BMC3I).
West also emphasized that SYD 85 will not only focus on delivering technology, but also on building the talent and organizational integration needed to defend U.S. and allied interests in space.
“Our mission in SYD 85 is to deliver effective, integrated, and supported capabilities to enable space superiority and to forge a new generation of acquisitions professionals,” he said. “In close collaboration with the PEO BMC3I, Space Operations Command (SpOC) Mission Deltas, combatant commands, and intelligence partners, SYD 85 is leading the way in fielding vital systems with speed and purpose.”
As the Space Force continues to refine its structure, SYD 85 is one of several new Systems Deltas being activated in the coming months. These units are designed to consolidate acquisition efforts under mission-focused commands and work closely with SpOC Mission Deltas, which are responsible for system sustainment and operational readiness.
“The Space Force’s System Delta framework aligns our acquisition programs within mission areas, allowing us to synchronize efforts and streamline the work between acquisitions and operations with our Mission Delta counterparts,” said Brig. Gen. Michelle Idle, SSC mobilization assistant to the Commander, who presided over the ceremony. “This framework consolidates and unifies command authorities, promotes cohesion, and ensures we are postured to meet emerging threats.”
Upcoming Systems Delta activations include SYD 81 for test and training on Sept. 9, SYD 88 for satellite communications on Sept. 12, SYD 89 for combat power on Sept. 30, SYD 831 for position, navigation, and timing on Oct. 2, and SYD 80 for assured access to space on Oct. 7.
While the changes reflect a growing and increasingly sophisticated Space Force, officials stress that the fundamental missions of SSC, SpOC, and STARCOM remain the same, with minimal disruption to personnel locations.