Us Air Force To Leverage Advanced Drone Counter Tech
Teledyne FLIR Defense to Support AV’s Titan MS C-UAS Solution for US Air Force In a significant …
31. July 2026
Us Space Force Unveils Plan To Track Aerial Targets From Space With Advanced Radar System
The United States Space Force, the newest branch of the US military, is working towards establishing an airborne moving target indicator (AMTI) program that will enable it to track aerial targets from space. The program aims to provide a globally responsive architecture for detecting and tracking aircraft, drones, and missiles, which will complement existing ground-based radar systems.
According to Col. Ryan Frazier, the Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executive for space-based sensing and targeting, the service expects to have a “usable capability” in the next few years, with an initial launch of satellites planned for over the next 18 months. However, Frazier emphasized that this is just the first step towards establishing a full-fledged airborne target tracking capability.
“We’re not going to have everything we need by ‘28,” Frazier said. “But we will have something that’s high-value and value-added, and it will be better than what they don’t have today.” The Space Force plans to continue developing the program in an iterative manner, with a focus on building out the space layer and then adding complementary phenomenologies.
The Air Force has long relied on ground-based radars like the E-3 Sentry to track airborne targets. However, the service is shifting towards using satellites to complement these systems, which will provide a more resilient solution against adversaries’ anti-access/aerial-denial systems. The Space-Based AMTI program aims to address this need by providing real-time tracking data from space.
To achieve this goal, the Space Force is working with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and other vendors to develop a constellation of satellites that will track aerial targets. SpaceX has been awarded a $4.2 billion contract to build out the constellation, which will be launched over the next 18 months.
The program’s success relies on the development of complex sensing systems, ground processing algorithms, and orchestration software. Frazier acknowledged that there are technological hurdles to overcome, particularly in distinguishing between different types of fast-moving targets and reducing the time it takes to process, analyze, and transmit data from space-based sensors.
“You don’t have a lot of time to get that data to the decision maker or shooter,” Frazier said. “Photons only go so fast.” To address these challenges, the Space Force is working on building ground processing algorithms and developing orchestration software that can prioritize targeting needs across different combatant commands.
The program has also staged limited demonstrations that have proven the phenomenology works. Despite some concerns from experts and former officials about the readiness of the space-based targeting technology, Frazier emphasized that the Space Force’s approach is to focus on incremental development, making sure each component works before moving on to the next one.
“The complexity of the architecture does introduce some risk,” Frazier said. “But by doing it in chunks, we also kind of manage the risk in smaller chunks.” The Space-Based AMTI program is not meant to replace existing platforms, but rather to provide a complementary, globally responsive architecture that complements airborne sensing.
The Air Force’s plans for the E-7 Sentry aircraft have also been revised, with the service now proposing $1.5 billion for the program in fiscal 2027. The Space Force is working towards establishing an additive capability that complements existing platforms rather than replacing them.
In addition to its efforts on AMTI, the Air Force has also partnered with Teledyne FLIR Defense to support the US Air Force’s Advanced Targeting System (AVS) solution for UAS, as outlined in this press release. This partnership aims to provide a comprehensive solution for the US military’s airborne surveillance needs.
The success of the Space-Based AMTI program will depend on the ability of the service to manage complexity, prioritize targeting needs, and develop effective sensing systems that can complement existing ground-based radar systems. The program’s success is also contingent on its ability to integrate and scale its systems effectively, ensuring that the new capabilities are seamlessly integrated into existing workflows and battle management systems.
The Air Force’s efforts to mature the tasking, scheduling, and processing systems will be critical in achieving this goal. As the US Space Force continues to develop its airborne moving target indicator program, it is essential to remain vigilant about potential risks and challenges that may arise during development.