BAE Systems Secures $1.2 Billion Contract for Satellite Defense System

BAE Systems Secures Major Contract with U.S. Space Force



BAE Systems has recently announced that it has been awarded a significant contract worth $1.2 billion by the U.S. Space Systems Command. This agreement marks a critical step in developing enhanced missile tracking capabilities for the U.S. Space Force through advanced satellite technologies.

The contract designates BAE Systems as the prime contractor for the Resilient Missile Warning Tracking (RMWT) – Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Epoch 2 program. Over the course of this partnership, the defense contractor will design and manufacture a total of ten spacecraft, which are expected to be delivered over four years, alongside five years of ongoing operations and support.

This initiative aims to bolster the existing satellite defense capabilities of the U.S. Space Force by providing reliable, space-based missile tracking and warning systems. In addition to conventional ballistic missile threats, the system is also designed to counter advanced threats like hypersonic glide vehicles, enhancing the military's strategic response options.

As part of this project, BAE Systems is also tasked with developing the ground systems necessary to oversee the satellite constellation. These systems will deliver mission management alongside command and control (C2) functionalities, ensuring operational efficiency in tracking and responding to missile threats.

Thai Sheridan, the Vice President and General Manager of Military Space for BAE Systems Space Mission Systems, remarked, "This effort builds on our capabilities to facilitate low-cost, integrated satellite defense programs that unify payload and bus builds while managing ground support, operations, and sustainment. Our system supports close coordination through a 'one-team' approach, which is essential for missile tracking success."

Each satellite developed under this contract will be equipped with sophisticated onboard data processing abilities and data crosslinks. Furthermore, they will feature high-performance electro-optical/infrared sensors and communication payloads, ensuring comprehensive surveillance and threat assessment capabilities. The satellite's payload operations will be conducted using the Trek bus variant from BAE Systems' Elevation spacecraft product line. Trek configurations provide enhanced payload interface flexibility and secure communication capabilities—factors that will prove critical in real-time military operations.

Ultimately, this contract represents a significant advancement in capabilities for the U.S. Space Force, ensuring that continuous mission data is effectively integrated with operational missile defense systems. BAE Systems’ involvement builds upon its ongoing support for the Department of Defense and Space Force satellite constellations, which play a crucial role in national security and governmental resilience.

Earlier this year, the Space Systems Command entrusted BAE Systems with providing a new satellite command and control system for the Space Force’s Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) program. Such initiatives reinforce the growing partnership between defense contractors and the military sectors, focusing on state-of-the-art technologies that respond to evolving global threats.

For further details on this contract and BAE Systems’ capabilities, interested parties can reach out to Brian Rantala at BAE Systems for more information.

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