The Space Development Agency announced the awarding of two agreements worth $1.75 billion for additional space vehicles in the missile warning, missile tracking and missile defense sector.
As support for the U.S. Space Force Program Acquisition Executive for Missile Warning and Tracking, the SDA said the awards would purchase additional Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 space vehicles as part of the Tracking Layer for Tranche 3 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The awards will support the delivery of 36 space vehicles across four orbital planes – one award for 18 missile warning and missile tracking variant space vehicles and one award for 18 missile defense space vehicles.
“With these awards, SDA is accelerating the deployment of the Tracking Layer to provide the homeland, our deployed forces, and allies with global, persistent indications, detection, identification warning, tracking, and defense against advanced and evolving missile threats,” G.P. Sandhoo, Space Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Missile Warning and Tracking and SDA Director, said. “AMDT3 expands upon SDA’s previous and current Tracking Layer generations — Tranches 1, 2 and 3 — marking another milestone in delivering a resilient, global missile warning, missile tracking, and missile defense capability.”
Officials said the awards align with plans for a hybrid missile defense architecture to pursue global stereo coverage and access of missile warning, tracking and defense capabilities. The space vehicles are expected to be available to launch by the end of 2028. The awards support Golden Dome for America’s space-based capabilities, and the U.S. Space Force will be responsible for future operations. The firm-fixed price transaction authority prototype agreements are to be delivered by L3Harris Technologies, Inc., of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Sierra Space Corporation, of Louisville, Colo.