Space Force Awards Kratos Up to $446.8M for MEO Missile-Tracking Ground System
The U.S. Space Force has awarded Kratos Technology and Training Solutions a new agreement worth up to $446.8 million to build and manage the ground system supporting its medium Earth orbit missile-warning constellation.
The award, formalized March 17 under a Ground Management and Integration (GMI) Other Transaction Authority agreement, supports launch and operations for the first two iterations of the Resilient Missile Warning Tracking (MWT) architecture — Epoch 1 and Epoch 2 — including operations through a ground-based Space Operations Center, according to Space Systems Command.
What the contract covers
Kratos’ work expands on an earlier April 2023 task order originally awarded to Parsons to stand up initial hardware, software, and Space Operations Center capabilities for Epoch 1. SSC said the new award broadens scope to support future Epoch launches and long-term operations for satellites already in development and production, as well as future space vehicles.
Program context
The Space Force is building toward a baseline constellation of roughly 30 MEO satellites for missile warning and tracking. The effort is one of three missile warning/tracking lines supporting the administration’s broader Golden Dome missile defense ambitions.
Recent milestones include:
- 2023: Epoch 1 prototype contracts to Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Boeing’s Millennium Space Systems
- 2023: $29 million Epoch 1 sensor payload design contract to L3Harris
- 2024: Raytheon removed from the program; Millennium received $386 million for six additional satellites
- 2025: BAE Systems received $1.2 billion to build 10 Epoch 2 satellites
The first set of nine Epoch 1 satellites is scheduled to launch in early 2027, with additional Epoch 1 deliveries expected in FY28 and first Epoch 2 delivery in FY29.
Why it matters: The size and scope of the Kratos award signals the Space Force is moving from prototype-heavy planning toward scaled operational infrastructure for persistent missile warning and hypersonic tracking from MEO.
