Mission Delta 4
Mission Delta 4 (MD4) is a specialized operational unit of the United States Space Force dedicated to delivering strategic and theater missile warning, tracking, and battlespace awareness to protect the homeland and allied forces.[1][2] Headquartered at Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado, MD4 oversees the execution of global missile detection operations using integrated space-based and ground systems.[3] Established as part of the Space Force's evolution toward mission-focused deltas in 2024, MD4 builds on the legacy of Space Delta 4, which was activated in 2020 to consolidate missile warning capabilities previously distributed across Air Force wings.[2][4] The unit operates three constellations of Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) satellites alongside ground-based radars, enabling rapid detection and characterization of ballistic and hypersonic threats worldwide.[1] This infrastructure supports timely alerts to national command authorities, combatant commanders, and international partners, contributing to missile defense and deterrence efforts.[5] MD4's defining characteristics include its emphasis on resilience and integration, as demonstrated in recent enhancements to the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) and partnerships with acquisition-focused System Delta 84 for next-generation capabilities.[6][7] The unit has earned recognition for operational excellence, including the James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle Award, underscoring its role in high-stakes real-world responses to global threats.[8] Under commanders such as Colonel Ernest R. Schmitt, MD4 maintains a force of squadrons specialized in space warning, ensuring continuous vigilance against evolving missile dangers.[3][9]
History
Establishment within the Space Force
Space Delta 4 was activated on 24 July 2020 as part of the United States Space Force's transition to a new organizational structure, during a virtual ceremony hosted by General Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations.[10][11] The activation inactivated the 460th Operations Group under the 460th Space Wing and realigned missile warning functions from the 21st Operations Group under the 21st Space Wing, consolidating them into a single delta focused on missile warning missions.[11][12] This reorganization was one of several changes that day, which included inactivating three Air Force space wings and activating multiple Space Force deltas to enhance mission-specific readiness and operational efficiency.[13] Headquartered at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, Space Delta 4 assumed responsibility for operating space- and ground-based sensors to provide strategic and theater missile warning to the United States and international partners.[10][11] Colonel Richard L. "Bear" Bourquin, the unit's first commander, emphasized the integration's benefits: “I am excited to have the opportunity to integrate all of USSF’s missile warning capabilities into a single organization that can better detect and report on current and emerging missile threats and protect the U.S. and our international partners.”[10] The delta's establishment addressed the need for unified command over global radar and infrared surveillance systems to enable early ballistic missile detection and battlespace awareness.[10] Chief Master Sergeant Willie Frazier II, the senior enlisted leader, highlighted the operational imperative: “The more warning we can provide, the better off we’ll be at detecting exactly where the threats are going to land, and then give our people ample forewarning.”[10] Bourquin, previously from the Air Force, commissioned into the Space Force on 5 January 2021, marking a key transition for early leaders in the new service.[14] He relinquished command on 15 July 2021 to Colonel Miguel A. Cruz.[15]Reorganization to Mission Delta Model
On October 31, 2024, the U.S. Space Force transitioned Space Delta 4 to Mission Delta 4, marking the unit's integration into the fully operational Mission Delta model under Space Operations Command.[2][16] This shift eliminated the provisional status previously held by early mission delta prototypes, aligning Missile Warning and Tracking operations with a unified structure that consolidates sustainment, cyber defense, and intelligence alongside core operational functions.[2][17] The reorganization under the Mission Delta framework aims to streamline missile warning capabilities by embedding program managers, engineers, and operators within Space Operations Command, enabling rapid software updates, system maintenance, and responsiveness to warfighter requirements.[2] Acquisition elements, however, remain managed separately by Space Systems Command to maintain specialized development pipelines for overhead persistent infrared satellites and ground-based radars.[2] This model pairs Mission Delta 4 with aligned support from Space Delta 6 (cyber operations) and Space Delta 7 (intelligence), fostering mission-specific synchronization that enhances battlespace awareness and threat detection without disrupting existing personnel or core missions.[2][16] U.S. Space Force officials described the transition as "a significant milestone" and "a leap forward" in delivering integrated capabilities, emphasizing improved alignment across functions to counter evolving missile threats from adversaries.[17][16] Mission Delta 4, commanded by Col. Ernest R. Schmitt, continues to oversee three constellations of overhead persistent infrared satellites and two types of ground-based radars, now with enhanced operational agility under the new structure.[3][1]Key Milestones and Transitions
Space Delta 4 was activated on July 24, 2020, at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, consolidating missile warning missions previously handled by elements of the 460th Space Wing and 21st Space Wing under the U.S. Air Force.[11][10] This activation aligned with the U.S. Space Force's early organizational reforms to centralize space domain awareness capabilities, including operation of Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite constellations for strategic and theater missile warning.[18] Initial command of Space Delta 4 fell to Col. Richard L. Bourquin, who led the unit through its formative phase focused on integrating ground-based radars and satellite systems for battlespace awareness. Subsequent leadership transitions included Col. Miguel A. Cruz assuming command, followed by Col. Ernest R. Schmitt in a change of command ceremony that emphasized operational continuity amid evolving threats. On July 16, 2025, Col. Schmitt relinquished command to Col. Aaron L. Cochran, marking a handover during a period of heightened global missile activity and unit expansion.[19] A pivotal transition occurred on November 1, 2024, when Space Delta 4 redesignated as Mission Delta 4, integrating operations, sustainment, cyber, and intelligence functions under the Space Operations Command's Unified Mission Generation framework. This shift enhanced end-to-end mission ownership, departing from siloed structures to better address contested space environments. In April 2025, Mission Delta 4 received recognition for operational excellence, becoming the first Space Force unit to earn a specific high-level award for innovation in missile warning. By July 2025, it partnered with the newly activated System Delta 84 for aligned acquisition and development of missile warning systems, further streamlining sustainment and capability delivery.[17][20][2][7]Organizational Structure
Command Hierarchy
Mission Delta 4 operates under the direct authority of Space Operations Command (SpOC), which is commanded by Lieutenant General David N. Miller, Jr., headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.[21] SpOC provides operational oversight for MD4's missile warning and tracking missions as one of its eight mission-oriented deltas.[1] The commander of Mission Delta 4, a colonel billet, holds responsibility for integrating operations, sustainment, cyber defense, and intelligence functions to support Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite constellations and ground-based radars.[2] Colonel Aaron L. Cochran assumed command on August 25, 2025, during a ceremony presided over by Lt. Gen. Miller, succeeding Colonel Ernest R. Schmitt.[9][22] Under Cochran's leadership, MD4 continues to deliver time-sensitive missile warning data to national command authorities and combatant commanders.[22] MD4's hierarchy emphasizes a streamlined chain from SpOC to the delta commander, who exercises command over subordinate space warning squadrons and associated detachments, ensuring resilient battlespace awareness.[1] This structure aligns with the U.S. Space Force's mission delta model, established to consolidate warfighting capabilities under unified leadership.[2]Subordinate Units and Squadrons
Mission Delta 4, headquartered at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, directs a network of subordinate units and squadrons responsible for executing missile warning, defense, and battlespace awareness missions across multiple global locations.[11] These units operate ground-based radars, satellite communications systems, and sensor networks to detect and track missile launches, supporting national defense and allied forces.[11] Key subordinate elements include:- Delta 4 Staff: Provides command and administrative oversight at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.[11]
- Detachment 2: Supports operational functions at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.[11]
- 2nd Space Warning Squadron (2nd SWS): Operates missile warning capabilities from Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.[11]
- 3rd Satellite Communications Squadron (3rd SCS): Manages satellite communications for missile warning networks at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.[11]
- 5th Space Warning Squadron (5th SWS): Conducts space-based missile detection and tracking from Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.[11]
- 6th Space Warning Squadron (6th SWS): Oversees ground-based radar operations for early missile warning at Cape Cod Space Force Station, Massachusetts.[11]
- 7th Space Warning Squadron (7th SWS): Provides theater missile warning via radar systems at Beale Air Force Base, California.[11]
- 10th Space Warning Squadron (10th SWS): Operates phased-array radars for strategic warning at Cavalier Space Force Station, North Dakota.[11]
- 11th Space Warning Squadron (11th SWS): Focuses on global missile detection and alerts from Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.[11]
- 12th Space Warning Squadron (12th SWS): Delivers strategic missile warning and space domain awareness from Pituffik Space Base, Greenland (formerly Thule Air Base).[11][1]
- 13th Space Warning Squadron (13th SWS): Maintains missile warning sensors in a remote Arctic environment at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska.[11]
- Operating Location – Fylingdales: Supports allied missile warning integration at RAF Fylingdales, United Kingdom.[11]
Operational Locations
Mission Delta 4 maintains its headquarters at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, where core command functions and several subordinate units are collocated.[1] This primary site supports missile warning operations through units such as the 2nd Space Warning Squadron, which processes data from space-based infrared systems, and the 11th Space Warning Squadron, focused on satellite operations for threat detection.[23] The 5th Space Warning Squadron also operates from Buckley, managing joint tactical ground stations for theater missile warning, with detachments extending coverage to forward areas.[24] Geographically separated units provide distributed sensor coverage across strategic regions. The 6th Space Warning Squadron is stationed at Cape Cod Space Force Station, Massachusetts, operating ground-based radars for early warning of sea-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles.[25] The 7th Space Warning Squadron, located at Beale Air Force Base, California, monitors the U.S. West Coast and Pacific approaches using upgraded early warning radars.[26] Further north, the 10th Space Warning Squadron at Cavalier Space Force Station, North Dakota, employs phased-array radars for missile detection over the central U.S. and Canada.[11] In the Arctic, the 12th Space Warning Squadron operates from Pituffik Space Base, Greenland, providing polar vantage for global ballistic missile tracking.[27] The 13th Space Warning Squadron maintains operations at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, focusing on threats from the Asia-Pacific region.[11] Additional detachments and operating locations enhance worldwide persistence, including the 5th Space Warning Squadron Detachment 1 at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, for European theater support, and Detachment 3 at Osan Air Base, South Korea, for Indo-Pacific missile warning.[28][29] Overall, Mission Delta 4's footprint spans ten sites in the United States and abroad, enabling continuous integration of satellite, radar, and ground data for strategic and tactical threat assessment.[1]| Unit | Primary Location |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado |
| 2nd Space Warning Squadron | Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado |
| 5th Space Warning Squadron (main) | Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado |
| 6th Space Warning Squadron | Cape Cod Space Force Station, Massachusetts |
| 7th Space Warning Squadron | Beale Air Force Base, California |
| 10th Space Warning Squadron | Cavalier Space Force Station, North Dakota |
| 11th Space Warning Squadron | Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado |
| 12th Space Warning Squadron | Pituffik Space Base, Greenland |
| 13th Space Warning Squadron | Clear Space Force Station, Alaska |
Missions and Capabilities
Strategic and Theater Missile Warning
Mission Delta 4 executes strategic missile warning to detect and characterize intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launches threatening the North American homeland, enabling rapid response through integration with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Theater missile warning focuses on shorter-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and other aerial threats to U.S. forces, allies, and partners in operational theaters, providing real-time alerts to combatant commanders for force protection and defensive actions. These missions operate 24/7, fusing data from space and ground sensors to deliver actionable intelligence within seconds of launch detection.[11][6] Core to these capabilities are three constellations of overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) satellites, which detect the heat signatures of missile exhaust plumes from global vantage points. The legacy Defense Support Program (DSP), operational since 1970 with up to 23 geosynchronous satellites over its lifespan, provides initial broad-area detection of launches and nuclear detonations. The Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), deployed progressively since 2011 with geosynchronous and highly elliptical orbit satellites, enhances resolution for improved tracking, discrimination of decoys, and characterization of missile maneuvers. Transition efforts incorporate Next-Generation OPIR satellites to counter advanced threats like hypersonic glide vehicles. These systems achieve near-continuous coverage, with DSP alone detecting thousands of missile events annually.[11][6][30] Ground-based radars complement OPIR by offering metric-precision tracking and impact point prediction. Two primary types include the Upgraded Early Warning Radars (UEWR)—phased-array systems at five sites (Beale AFB, California; Cape Cod SFS, Massachusetts; Clear SFS, Alaska; Thule AB, Greenland; RAF Fylingdales, UK)—upgraded from 1980s-era early warning radars for ballistic missile defense support; and the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS) at Cavalier SFS, North Dakota, which characterizes warhead reentry and supports space surveillance. These radars cue ground- and sea-based interceptors, such as those in the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system. Data fusion occurs at the Missile Warning Center, ensuring resilient, cyber-hardened dissemination amid contested environments.[11][31] Subordinate units execute these functions: the 2nd Space Warning Squadron manages DSP operations from Buckley SFB, Colorado; the 11th Space Warning Squadron oversees SBIRS from Schriever SFB, Colorado; and the 5th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley delivers theater-specific warnings, including hypersonic threat detection. Radar operations fall to the 6th, 7th, 10th, 12th, and 13th Space Warning Squadrons at sites like Cape Cod, Beale, and Thule. This distributed architecture, spanning 10 global locations, has proven vital in real-world events, such as providing early alerts during North Korean missile tests since 2017.[11][1]Tracking and Battlespace Awareness
Mission Delta 4 maintains battlespace awareness by integrating data from overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) satellites and ground-based radar systems to detect, track, and characterize missile launches globally. This capability enables real-time monitoring of strategic and theater ballistic missiles, hypersonic threats, and other airborne objects, providing early warning to U.S. forces and allies.[1][11] The OPIR constellation, including systems like the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), delivers persistent surveillance with infrared sensors optimized for identifying heat signatures from missile plumes during boost, midcourse, and reentry phases. Tracking precision supports trajectory estimation and threat assessment, contributing to missile defense operations by supplying data for intercept calculations. Ground-based radars, numbering seven in the network, augment satellite coverage with high-resolution tracking focused on North American, allied, and deployed areas, achieving full polar illumination for comprehensive battlespace visibility.[32][5] At Buckley Space Force Base, the Overhead Persistent Infrared Battlespace Awareness Center (OBAC) fuses sensor inputs into a unified operational picture, disseminating battlespace awareness products to combatant commanders for enhanced situational understanding and response planning. This integration facilitates tipping and cueing to ground- and sea-based defenses, as demonstrated in real-world scenarios such as providing missile launch warnings during Iran's April 2024 attacks on Israel, where MD4 data helped mitigate impacts through timely alerts.[33][34] MD4's tracking efforts extend to exercises simulating contested environments, including a 2021 event that advanced space domain awareness protocols by testing sensor fusion for missile and orbital threat detection, though the unit's core emphasis remains on infrared and radar-based missile phenomenology over broader cataloging of resident space objects handled by other deltas. These capabilities ensure causal linkages between detected events and operational outcomes, prioritizing empirical sensor validation over modeled assumptions in threat characterization.[35][1]Tipping, Cueing, and Intelligence Support
Mission Delta 4 delivers tipping and cueing to missile defense forces by leveraging overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) satellite detections of missile launches to provide initial trajectory data, enabling rapid tasking of ground-based radars, sea-based systems, and interceptors for threat acquisition and engagement.[11][4] This process shortens response timelines, as space-based sensors offer near-global, persistent coverage for early warning that cues assets like the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system or Aegis BMD, integrating data feeds to support layered defense architectures.[1] In operational terms, tipping refers to the preliminary alert from OPIR constellations detecting plume signatures, which cues subordinate units' ground radars—such as the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PAVE PAWS)—to refine tracks and predict impacts, thereby enhancing theater and strategic defense effectiveness against ballistic and hypersonic threats.[11][32] Cueing extends this by disseminating precise sensor tasking orders in real-time to combatant commands, ensuring synchronized multi-domain responses without reliance on manual intervention.[4] Mission Delta 4 also furnishes technical intelligence support through analysis of missile event data, including signatures, maneuvers, and performance metrics derived from satellite and radar observations, which informs national intelligence assessments and adversary capability evaluations for policymakers and military planners.[1][11] This intelligence product line supports broader battlespace awareness by fusing raw sensor data into actionable reports shared with entities like the Missile Defense Agency and intelligence community partners, contributing to threat characterization beyond immediate warning functions.[36]Technological Systems
Overhead Persistent Infrared Satellite Constellations
Mission Delta 4 operates and supports three constellations of Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) satellites, which deliver global, near-real-time detection of missile launches through infrared sensors sensitive to heat emissions from rocket plumes and warheads. These systems provide strategic and theater missile warning by scanning Earth from geosynchronous, highly elliptical, and emerging proliferated orbits, enabling rapid cueing to ground-based defenses and command centers.[11][5] The legacy Defense Support Program (DSP), operational since the 1970s with over 20 satellites launched, forms one constellation, offering foundational geosynchronous coverage for initial launch detection, though its aging sensors limit precision tracking compared to successors. The primary current capability resides in the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), comprising six geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) satellites—launched between 2010 and 2022—and two highly elliptical orbit (HEO) payloads hosted on other platforms, which employ both scanning and staring focal plane arrays for improved sensitivity, resolution, and discrimination of missile types, including ballistic and space launches, with data processed by Delta 4 units like the 2nd Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.[37][38][39] The third constellation, Next-Generation OPIR (Next-Gen OPIR), addresses vulnerabilities in legacy systems to advanced threats like hypersonic weapons and anti-satellite attacks through a resilient, distributed architecture spanning GEO (with initial satellites completing testing in 2025), polar-orbiting platforms for Arctic coverage, and proliferated low- and medium-Earth orbit layers for redundancy and rapid revisit rates; development emphasizes cyber-hardened designs and integration with ground systems like FORGE for seamless transition from SBIRS, with the first GEO launch delayed to 2026 and full operational capability targeted for the early 2030s.[40][41][42] These OPIR assets collectively ensure persistent overhead surveillance, detecting events within seconds and supporting battlespace characterization, technical intelligence, and integration with ground radars for end-to-end missile defense; Delta 4's role includes tactics development, engineering sustainment, and cyber resilience to maintain operational continuity amid adversarial attempts to degrade space-based sensing.[43][1]Ground-Based Radar Systems
Space Delta 4 oversees the operation of ground-based radar systems that provide complementary capabilities to satellite-based infrared detection, enabling precise acquisition, tracking, and characterization of ballistic missile threats across boost, midcourse, and reentry phases. These radars, primarily phased-array systems, offer high-resolution data for threat discrimination and cueing allied defenses, with installations positioned for polar and oceanic coverage. Subordinate space warning squadrons maintain these assets, ensuring continuous surveillance focused on intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and space objects.[11] The Upgraded Early Warning Radars (UEWRs) form a core component, consisting of upgraded legacy systems such as the former Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) and PAVE PAWS radars. These solid-state phased-array radars detect launches over vast ranges, with capabilities extending to 3,000 nautical miles or more for SLBMs and ICBMs originating from regions like the Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic. The UEWR at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, operated by the 13th Space Warning Squadron, provides coverage for Pacific and Asian threats, including upgrades completed in the early 2000s to enhance signal processing and false alarm rejection.[44][32] Additional UEWR sites include Thule Air Base, Greenland, managed by the 12th Space Warning Squadron, which monitors Arctic and Eurasian launches as the northernmost facility; Cape Cod Space Force Station, Massachusetts, under the 6th Space Warning Squadron, focusing on Atlantic and eastern oceanic threats; and Beale Air Force Base, California, operated by the 7th Space Warning Squadron, targeting western Pacific vectors. These systems integrate with the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) for validated tracks, supporting U.S. Northern Command and allied forces.[45][25][46] The Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS), an AN/FPQ-16 phased-array radar at Cavalier Space Force Station, North Dakota, operated by the 10th Space Warning Squadron, specializes in midcourse tracking and space object cataloging, discriminating warheads from decoys with high angular accuracy. Upgraded under the Enhanced PARCS (EPARCS) program in recent years, it supports both missile warning and space domain awareness, processing data for over 27,000 objects. Collectively, these radars achieve near-global coverage when networked, though vulnerabilities to electronic warfare and physical attack necessitate ongoing modernization efforts.Integration and Cyber Resilience
Mission Delta 4 oversees the integration of diverse sensor networks, including overhead persistent infrared satellite constellations and ground-based radar systems, to deliver fused missile warning data and battlespace awareness to combatant commanders.[11] This architecture management ensures real-time data correlation from multiple sources, such as the Defense Support Program, Space-Based Infrared System, and Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared, enabling tactical responses to ballistic and hypersonic threats.[11] In June 2024, Mission Delta 4 demonstrated enhanced integration by connecting its Standard Space Trainer simulator with Space Delta 8 systems at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, marking the first such cross-delta linkage for training and operational rehearsal.[47] Cyber resilience forms a core operational principle, with Mission Delta 4 embedding defensive measures into weapon system architectures to counter adversarial cyber threats targeting space-based missile warning assets.[11] The 64th Cyberspace Squadron provides dedicated cyber defense for these systems, focusing on securing satellite and radar networks against disruptions.[48] Following its redesignation on October 31, 2024, Mission Delta 4 incorporated organic cyber forces alongside intelligence and sustainment elements, transitioning from siloed operations to a unified structure that enhances rapid threat mitigation.[17] Advancements in cyber-resilient integration were evident in the April 2024 operational acceptance of the Overhead Persistent Infrared Battlespace Awareness Center, where cyber hardening and modernized applications replaced legacy systems, improving data processing while maintaining secure command-and-control pathways. These efforts prioritize redundancy and innovation-driven defenses, ensuring uninterrupted missile tracking amid evolving cyber risks from state actors.[11]Leadership
Role of the Commander
The commander of Mission Delta 4 serves as the senior leader responsible for directing the unit's execution of strategic and theater missile warning, ballistic missile tracking, and associated space domain awareness missions across a geographically dispersed network of operations. Headquartered at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, this role entails overseeing the operation and sustainment of Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) satellite constellations, including legacy systems like Defense Support Program and Space-Based Infrared System, alongside ground-based radar networks such as the Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry Phased Array Warning System (PAVE PAWS) and Sea-Based X-Band Radar.[1][2] In this capacity, the commander integrates operational, sustainment, cyber defense, and intelligence functions to deliver timely threat characterizations to national command authorities, combatant commanders, and allied partners, ensuring uninterrupted missile surveillance amid evolving geopolitical risks. The position demands coordination with joint forces under U.S. Space Command and international collaborators, while maintaining unit readiness through exercises, innovation initiatives, and personnel development programs that emphasize non-commissioned officer leadership and technical expertise.[19][49] Historically held by colonels with extensive space operations backgrounds, the commander reports directly to Space Operations Command leadership and assumes accountability for Mission Delta 4's status as the Space Force's largest and most distributed mission unit, spanning multiple squadrons and detachments worldwide to counter peer adversary advancements in hypersonic and proliferated missile technologies.[3][2]List of Commanders
- Colonel Richard L. Bourquin served as the inaugural commander of Space Delta 4 (later redesignated Mission Delta 4) starting in 2020, overseeing early operations in missile warning from Buckley Space Force Base.[50]
- Colonel Miguel A. Cruz succeeded Bourquin around 2022 and commanded through mid-2023, during which he managed the expansion of responsibilities including the planned transfer of Army missile warning ground stations to Space Force control in October 2023.[51][52]
- Colonel Ernest R. Schmitt assumed command in July 2023 and led the unit until July 2025, guiding it through its redesignation to Mission Delta 4 on 31 October 2024 and earning recognition such as the James H. Doolittle Award in 2025 for mission excellence.[8][53]
- Colonel Aaron L. Cochran has commanded since 16 July 2025, focusing on integrated missile warning and sustainment missions.[53]