Engineering decision advantage for the warfighter
Multi-orbit mission capabilities are accelerating decision making across domains.
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Space Force shifts from SDA transport layer to new Space Data Network ‘backbone’
A project previously called MILNET will now be funded in a budget line labeled “proliferated LEO SATCOM,” which the Space Force is seeking $1.6 billion in reconciliation funding to kick off.
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Acquisition reform at the speed of war
As part of the DoW’s acquisition transformation, streamlined processes must be extended to all companies in the defense industrial base.
Space Force programs supporting Golden Dome see big FY27 budget boost
Missile warning and tracking programs, and the emerging Space Data Network being developed to ferry space sensor data to shooters on the ground, in the air and at sea are among the programs seeing huge increases.
EXCLUSIVE: SDA’s Sandhoo likely to lead Space Force Missile Warning & Tracking portfolio
It is unclear whether Gurpartap "GP" Sandhoo will keep his role as SDA acting director under a double-hat, but one industry source said that is the most likely solution at least in the near term.
Vulcan grounding could impact multiple Space Force, NRO satellite launches
Among the near-term launches most likely to be delayed or shifted are those of the Space Force WGS-11 communications satellite slated to lift off by the end of March, and the Next-Gen OPIR GEO satellite
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Countering missile threats with enhanced warning and tracking payloads
Missile speed, maneuverability, and destructive power requires more capable payloads for accelerated kill chain timelines.
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Localizing tactical communications for sovereign, NATO-ready C3I
Beyond foreign sales, Rafael’s model enables tech transfer, local engineering, and is a template for NATO partners.
First Next-Gen OPIR missile warning launch pushed to 2026
Program officials overseeing the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) effort told GAO investigators that the delay was caused not only by developmental problems, but also the Space Force's launch backlog.
Space Force awards BAE $1.2B for missile warning sats in MEO
"Space Systems Command intends to award a second vendor, but the quantity will depend on the selected vendor’s proposal. The timing and scope of that award is subject to the outcomes of the on-going FY26 budget deliberations," Col. Rob Davis, SSC's head of Space Sensing program, told Breaking Defense.
Space Force FORGEing ahead with missile warning ground system
Space Systems Command (SSC) in recent weeks has issued a flurry of contracts for the key hardware and software "thrusts" that make up the FORGE program, following a restructuring in 2023 that broke the effort into more manageable pieces.
Space Force team mapping service’s contributions to Iron Dome missile shield
"We are leaning forward establishing this technical IPT to try to pull together all of the systems and start thinking about it from an overarching perspective," Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said.
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MQ-9B and Gambit Series: Advancing European Defense Capabilities
GA-ASI will build Gambit aircraft in Europe, partnered with European-based companies, with airframes available for international procurement starting in 2027.
Space Force grants Northrop Grumman $1.8B to build missile warning birds for polar orbit
The two Northrop Grumman satellites, which will take highly elliptical orbits over the Earth's poles, are expected to be launched in 2028.
Air Force acquisition czar delays key milestone for ground moving target satellites
The delay in the review, however, is not expected to impact the planned delivery schedule, an Air Force spokesperson said. That said, neither the Pentagon nor the NRO has revealed the hoped-for schedule.
Next-Gen OPIR: 2 steps forward, 1 step back for missile warning effort
The Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared constellation's first satellite may see its launch pushed back by a year to 2026.
Space Force takes ‘acceptable’ cut to $29.4B in FY25 budget request
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall explained that the "small decrease in the number for the Space Force" isn't itself quite reflective of reality, as there are mitigating circumstances that lessen the blow.