USSTRATCOM, German air force sign liaison officer agreement

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. – U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) and the German Luftwaffe (air force) signed a memorandum of agreement June 1, to assign a German liaison officer (LNO) to Joint Functional Component Command for Space (JFCC Space).

The agreement builds on the arrangement the two countries formalized in 2015 to enable and enhance each nation’s awareness within the space domain and increase the safety of spaceflight.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Clinton E. Crosier, USSTRATCOM director of plans and policy, and German air force Brig. Gen. Burkhard Pototzky, department head and head of the Luftwaffe Operations Center, signed the memorandum in Uedem, Germany.

“The liaison officer, in collaboration with JFCC Space and other sharing partners as appropriate, will provide Germany’s perspective on sharing and collaboration requirements,” said Crosier. “This partnership, the first of hopefully many, will inform the development of the Multinational Space Collaboration effort at Vandenberg AFB, California.”

The German officer will be the first international liaison officer assigned to JFCC Space under the new Multinational Space Collaboration effort, announced April 5. The effort will explore mutual capabilities and identify opportunities for greater integration by co-locating additional allies and partners with U.S. space operators.

The LNO will be co-located with the 18th Space Control Squadron, providing direct input on space situational awareness sharing with Germany. The LNO will also be included in general planning and mutual training opportunities.

“While not expected to participate in Joint Space Operations Center operations or other combined operations directly, the German LNO, and others who follow, will share insight and recommendations to improve bilateral and multilateral relationships,” said Rear Adm. Brian Brown, JFCC Space deputy commander. “We are optimistic that increased collaboration with ally and partner nations could lead to appropriate levels of combined space operations in the future.”

One of nine Department of Defense unified combatant commands, USSTRATCOM has global strategic missions assigned through the Unified Command Plan that include strategic deterrence, space operations, cyberspace operations, joint electronic warfare, global strike, missile defense, intelligence, and analysis and targeting.