Posted: Sun, Jul 19, 2026, 3:00 PM ET (1900 GMT)
The Space Development Agency (SDA) awarded $1.75 billion in contracts to L3Harris and Sierra Space Monday to build the next group of missile warning and tracking satellites. L3Harris won a contract worth about $955 million to build 18 missile defense satellites equipped with sensors similar to the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor, or HBTSS, across two orbital planes. Sierra Space received a contract valued at about $798 million to build 18 missile warning and missile tracking satellites across two orbital planes. The satellites are part of the Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 program, an expansion of the Tracking Layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, and scheduled to be ready for launch by the end of 2028.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Reuters article
•  Breaking Defense article
•  SDA press release