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The US is accelerating the deployment of a new generation of missile-tracking satellites as part of the ambitious Golden Dome missile defence initiative, awarding almost US$2 billion ($2.89 billion) in contracts to L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space.
The United States has taken another significant step towards building its next-generation missile defence architecture, awarding contracts worth almost US$2 billion ($2.89 billion) to L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space to develop 36 advanced missile-tracking satellites for the US Space Force.
The contracts, awarded through the Space Development Agency (SDA), will see each company manufacture 18 satellites for the Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) Tracking Layer, a key component of the proposed Golden Dome for America missile defence network.
Designed to detect, track and provide fire-control quality data against advanced ballistic and hypersonic missile threats, the satellites will enhance the United States’ ability to identify and respond to rapidly evolving strategic threats from space.
L3Harris chairman and CEO Christopher Kubasik said the company had already invested heavily in expanding its manufacturing capability to meet the growing demand for advanced missile defence systems.
“We are proud to provide next-generation technology that will accelerate the nation’s ability to defend against emerging threats from hypersonic and ballistic weapons,” Kubasik said.
“As the industry’s trusted disruptor, L3Harris invested ahead of need by expanding production facilities and is ready to deliver missile defence satellites to support this national priority.”
The company’s AMDT3 satellites will feature medium field-of-view infrared payloads capable of providing precision tracking information required to support missile interception. Manufacturing will begin immediately at L3Harris’ expanded production facilities in Indiana and satellite integration centre in Florida.
The latest award builds on L3Harris’ growing role in America’s missile warning architecture, following the successful demonstration of its Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) satellite for the Missile Defense Agency. The company now has more than 70 missile-tracking satellites on contract across multiple SDA Tracking Layer tranches and the HBTSS program.
Meanwhile, Sierra Space secured a contract valued at up to US$798 million, cementing its emergence as a major prime contractor in the national security space sector.
The company will build its 18 satellites using its Horizon spacecraft platform, part of the Eclipse satellite family already selected for the SDA’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer program.
Sierra Space CEO Dan Jablonsky said the award reflects the company’s ability to rapidly deliver complex national security capabilities.
“This contract demonstrates Sierra Space’s capabilities as a formidable player in American national security,” Jablonsky said.
“We’re honoured to partner with SDA as a prime contractor to deliver on the nation’s space-based missions. By combining cutting-edge design and manufacturing systems with industrial depth and systems integration expertise, we’re able to move faster, manage risk better and deliver more cost-effective solutions.”
The dual awards underscore the growing importance of resilient space-based sensing networks as the United States accelerates development of the Golden Dome architecture to counter increasingly sophisticated missile threats.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
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