The mission of the Space Warfare Center is to advance America's space capabilities and employment concepts through tactics development, testing, analysis, and training programs. The genesis of the Space Warfare Center dates back to Desert Storm, during which combat operations relied on space support more than any past conflict. However, an analysis of these operations revealed several shortfalls in the United States' ability to take advantage of all the capabilities space has to offer. To remedy this problem, in the fall of 1992, a Blue Ribbon Panel on Space recommended the establishment of a Space Warfare Center to examine the capabilities of space-based assets versus the actual enhancements gained from them.

The primary purpose of the SWC was to develop and test concepts, applications, and procedures that enable the Warfighter to more fully utilize the unique capabilities of these space-based assets. The Space Warfare Center is tasked with "operationalizing" space, making its use timely and routine to the Warfighter. The aim is to exploit these Department of Defense, civil and commercial assets in order to continue to provide US forces with a definitive edge in future combat operations.

General Charles Horner, past commander of Air Force Space Command, officially dedicated the SWC on December 8, 1993. As the SWC grew, two testing squadrons were added in 1995 and the innovative Space Battlelab was dedicated in 1997.

The mission of the 17th Test Squadron is to enhance AFSPC's support to the Warfighter through testing and evaluation of space forces. The 17th TS is responsible for the planning, execution and reporting for all Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation of Air Force Space Forces.

The mission of the 576th Flight Test Squadron is to manage and conduct the JCS directed Intercontinental Ballistics Missile Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation program. The squadron has the sole responsibility for collecting, analyzing and reporting the data required to verify the accuracy and reliability of our deployed ICBMs.

The mission of the Space Battlelab is to identify innovative space operations and logistics concepts and rapidly measure their potential for advancing the Air Force core competencies and joint warfighting. The Space Battlelab uses field ingenuity, modeling and simulation and actual employment of exploratory capabilities in operational environments to accomplish the mission.

The objectives of the Space Warfare Center are:

• Advance the Air Force's core competency;
• Ensure space and missile systems meet the needs of the warfighter;
• Integration of present and future space systems into military operations;
• Train the warfighters, space systems operators and space support teams;
• Develop, validate and document tactics for the employment of space systems and capabilities; and
• Visual modeling and simulation of the effect of space systems on the battlespace.