| Summary: | The Space Force is the newest addition to the Department of Defense ecosystem since the creation of the Air Force. The advent of space-based technologies, both government and commercial, created the need for the development of a new military service focused on the space domain. Yet to be fully operational, the Space Force mostly consists of previous Air Force organizations and is challenged with establishing a new enterprise while simultaneously providing space-based capabilities. As an enterprise, the Space Force is comprised of a complex set of organizations responsible for providing space-based capabilities to a diverse range of stakeholders. Furthermore, the political considerations in establishing the Space Force are essential in determining its long-term success. Using systems thinking enables an enterprise architect to address the considerations in a holistic manner.
Additionally, complexity is another important consideration when architecting a new enterprise like the Space Force. The organizations, interactions, and topology of the enterprise all contribute to the overall complexity. Using organizational complexity methodology, the relative complexity of different enterprise architectures can be compared. Though complexity should be minimized, important trade-offs emerge when comparing enterprise alternatives. Increasing the organizational size and interactions between entities can increase enterprise capability, but also its complexity.
This thesis applies the ARIES methodology to generate and evaluate different enterprise architecture alternatives for the Space Force. Through research and stakeholder interviews, both the challenges and opportunities are addressed to develop a future enterprise focused on providing value delivery. To supplement the evaluation, enterprise complexity provided a more thorough understanding of the effects of the different alternatives. As a result, the recommended architecture focuses on the integration of space-based capabilities across the enterprise landscape. A more integrated Space Force can provide a better sense of identity and the expertise necessary for long-term value delivery. Despite not creating new value pathways for the Space Force, providing additional integration capabilities can enable the more efficient use of space-based capabilities and decrease the overall enterprise complexity. Though only considered as one of many criteria in evaluation, the complexity methodology used within provides a foundation for future research on enterprise complexity.
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