L3Harris missile defence satellites have been scheduled for launch in 2025. (Image: L3Harris)
Missile detection and tracking satellites manufactured by L3Harris, which form part of part of the US Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 1 Tracking Layer (T1TRK) programme, have passed major design reviews.
The company announced on 20 December that it had completed its Critical Design Review (CDR) and Production Readiness Review (PRR) for 16 missile tracking satellites, milestones that move the programme closer to achieving the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).
PWSA is a resilient, layered network of military satellites in low-Earth orbit and key to L3Harris’s involvement have been infrared sensors and advanced algorithms that detect, track and fuse threat data which is provided in real time to the warfighter across a meshed network using both optical and RF communications.
Space Development Agency confirms Tracking Layer providers
Hypersonic threats force Pentagon to modernise its missile defence architecture
Planned for launch in 2025, the satellites feature advanced technology designed to counter the fastest most manoeuvrable hypersonic missiles.
The company stated that it began ‘fabrication of critical sub-assemblies well before the CDR and with the CDR and PRR in the rearview, the team has successfully transitioned to the assembly and integration phase’.
L3Harris’ director of programme management Bob De Cort said: ‘The SDA takes a fundamentally fresh and different approach than traditional defense contracting.
‘Rather than investing schedule and funds in single point solutions, the SDA acquisition plan breaks from tradition to use spiral development leveraging interoperable commercial technologies to deploy tranches of satellites every couple of years,’ he said.
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.
Adarga’s Vantage information analysis tool is in service with the UK MoD and individual UK forces. It builds on the company’s Knowledge Platform which processes, organises and analyses open source material, as well as information held by the user’s military, security and intelligence services.
Connect with us on socials
