WASHINGTON — The Space Force announced today that it has awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract to accelerate its Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB‑AMTI) program.
“We are launching development and integration efforts immediately to meet the program’s rapid deployment milestones and address emerging national security requirements,” said Col. Ryan Frazier, acting Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for Space Based Sensing & Targeting, in a statement.
Space-based AMTI sensors are being designed to complement the Air Force’s E‑7 Wedgetail, which was developed to replace the aging E‑3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft. The shift to space is considered essential by the Department of the Air Force because of increasingly sophisticated anti‑access/area‑denial capabilities fielded by potential adversaries.
SpaceX was one of nine companies selected by the Space Force in April to compete for the SB‑AMTI program under an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contracting vehicle, as noted in the announcement.
“While this OTA agreement establishes the initial SB‑AMTI capability, the Space Force expects to issue additional awards in the coming year to foster a diverse vendor base, thereby expanding capacity and capability for combatant commanders,” the service announced. “The initial award is projected to deploy a satellite constellation by 2028, giving the Joint Force an early ability to fill operational blind spots.”
The Space Force has not disclosed the names of the other companies in the vendor pool nor the total value of the OTA.
The Space Force’s fiscal 2026 baseline budget contains no funding for air‑based moving target indication; however, the reconciliation funding allocated for programs under the Trump administration’s Golden Dome initiative includes $9.2 billion for target tracking, according to an analysis by The Aerospace Corporation. The Space Force’s FY27 budget requests a substantial $7 billion in reconciliation funds for SB‑AMTI.