Overview
- The Space Force issued a $615 million follow‑on SB‑AMTI task order to add suppliers for space‑based airborne moving‑target tracking, naming Rocket Lab and Systems & Technology Research and withholding one winner for operational security.
- Rocket Lab announced it had been awarded $397 million to develop, launch and operate flat, constellation‑style 'Flatellite' satellites and said it will use its Neutron rocket, but Space Force officials have not publicly confirmed the dollar split, payload details or launch vehicle choices.
- SB‑AMTI is designed to shift tracking done by manned surveillance aircraft into space so the military can maintain continuous detection and custody of fighters, bombers, cruise missiles and potential hypersonic threats in contested areas.
- STR was cited for its advanced sensors, AI-driven signal processing and command‑and‑control work, and the limited disclosure about the third contractor reflects classified concerns and an intent to evaluate varied sensing approaches.
- By funding multiple vendors and sensor concepts the Space Force aims to preserve competition, accelerate alternative technology maturation and reduce dependence on a single supplier as it builds a resilient tracking architecture.