Naomi Cooper
General Atomics‘ electromagnetic systems division has secured a contract from Lockheed Martin‘s space business arm to build and deliver missile warning, tracking and defense payloads for integration into the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer satellites.
GA-EMS will produce 16 wide-field-of-view missile warning and tracking infrared payloads and two fire control and missile defense infrared payloads for integration into the 18 satellites Lockheed is building for the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture’s tracking layer, General Atomics said Monday.
“We look forward to our payloads becoming an integral element of a satellite constellation providing significant military operational support for the detection and tracking of advanced and conventional missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems,” said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS.
The payloads will be integrated into the satellites ahead of their scheduled launch in 2027 to low Earth orbit to provide missile warning and missile tracking capabilities in support of global missile defense missions.
Lockheed secured an $890 million other transaction authority agreement to build 18 T2 Tracking Layer satellites for SDA’s missile warning constellation.
