L3Harris Technologies is receiving $955 million and Sierra Space $798 million under fixed price Other Transaction Authority (OTA) rapid prototyping contracts for an expedited launch of Tranche 3, Tracking Layer satellites by the end of 2028, the Space Development Agency (SDA) said on Monday.
Under the Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) awards, L3Harris is to build 18 “Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS)-like missile defense variant” space vehicles (SVs) across two orbital planes, and Sierra Space is under contract for “18 missile warning/missile tracking variant SVs across two orbital planes,” the agency said.
Last year, Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, called HBTSS, which Northrop Grumman is developing to counter hypersonic missiles, “extremely promising.”
SDA has viewed the future Tranche 3 of the Tracking Layer as being a significant increase in coverage and accuracy against advanced missile threats and as a mix of missile warning and missile tracking satellites — half the constellation being dedicated to fire control tracks for advanced missile defense.
Last December, SDA awarded L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Rocket Lab USA, more than $3.5 billion in Other Transaction Agreement rapid prototyping contracts to build 72 satellites for Tranche 3 of the Tracking Layer.
“The AMDT3 award supports Golden Dome for America’s space-based capabilities and the United States Space Force will be responsible for future operations and sustainment,” SDA said on Monday. “The AMDT3 builds on the capabilities of SDA’s Tracking Layer with expanded coverage and greater access, and initiates the accelerated proliferation of missile defense sensing in support of homeland defense and theater defense. Each AMDT3 SV will be interoperable with all SDA Tranche 1, Tranche 2, and Tranche 3 SVs and will operate in an integrated fashion through a common ground system.”
