Space Force awards SpaceX $4.16 billion to build satellite network for airborne target tracking

The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract to build a satellite network designed to detect and track airborne targets from orbit, according to service statements and reporting from defense outlets.

The award is for the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator, or SB-AMTI, program. The effort is intended to create a constellation of satellites that can continuously sense moving airborne targets from space, a capability tied to future missile-defense and battle-management architecture.

The Space Force said it expects an initial constellation to be fielded by 2028. Officials also said they anticipate additional awards over the coming year as the program expands and brings in more vendors.

The contract comes as the Space Force accelerates work on space-based sensing and transport layers for military operations. Earlier in the week, the service announced a separate $2.29 billion SpaceX award for the Space Data Network Backbone, a different program focused on global warfighter connectivity.

Defense publications including Air & Space Forces, Breaking Defense and Air Force Times confirmed the size and purpose of the SB-AMTI award on May 29. Reuters-republished coverage also reported the deal.

The Space Force's earlier April background material on airborne target tracking outlined the service's interest in a persistent orbital capability to follow moving threats, underscoring why the program is being treated as a major building block for future missile-defense plans.