Space Force agency awards tech companies $1.75 billion contract for missile warning, tracking satellites

The U.S. Space Force’s unit tasked with deploying space technology announced the award of two agreements with a total of roughly $1.75 billion to field missile warning and tracking satellites in support of the Golden Dome initiative.

The Space Development Agency selected L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space Corporation for the delivery of a total of 36 space vehicles across four orbital planes, with an expected available launch by the end of 2028, according to a Monday release.

The 36 Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3, or AMDT3, space vehicles will be made up of 18 missile warning and tracking variants and 18 missile defense variants, per the statement, as part of the Tracking Layer for Tranche 3 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, or PWSA.

“These awards align with the Program Acquisition Executive for Missile Warning and Tracking’s plans for a hybrid missile defense architecture to pursue global stereo coverage and access of missile warning/missile tracking and missile defense capabilities,” the release reads.

L3Harris is responsible for providing 18 hypersonic and ballistic tracking space sensor-like missile defense variants across two orbital planes, and Sierra Space is charged with providing 18 missile warning and tracking variants across two orbital planes.

The companies’ agreements are valued at approximately $955 million and $798 million, respectively.

“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,” GP Sandhoo, the SDA director and Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for missile warning and tracking, said in the release.

The AMDT3 award is meant to boost the SDA’s Tracking Layer, which is a global constellation of satellites aimed at detecting and targeting advanced missile threats, with increased coverage and access, the release says.

The award initiates the accelerated proliferation of missile defense sensing to support homeland and theater defense, the announcement states.

Each space vehicle will be interoperable with all SDA Tranche 1, Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 space vehicles and will operate through a “common ground” system.