Leonardo DRS has received a US Space Force contract to develop sensor technology to support the detection, tracking, and targeting of fast-moving threats in space.
The award is an Other Transaction Agreement for Prototype, a contracting mechanism the Pentagon uses to develop and demonstrate new technologies outside the traditional acquisition process.
Financial terms and the expected completion date were not disclosed.
“These investments allow our company to push the boundaries of advanced sensing and targeting and implement scaled manufacturing to support national security priorities,” said CEO John Baylouny.
Focus on Scalable Space Sensing
Under the program, Leonardo DRS will work on sensor technologies capable of detecting, identifying, and tracking objects under demanding conditions.
The company said the work will support US Space Force requirements related to space superiority and space control.
The effort also places an emphasis on reducing the cost and complexity of producing the sensors. Leonardo DRS said it will examine manufacturing approaches that could allow the systems to be produced at greater scale while maintaining a resilient supply chain.
The company’s Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems business will lead the work. Senior Vice President and General Manager Jerry Hathaway said the program builds on the company’s existing work on infrared and other sensing technologies.
Satellites support communications, navigation, missile warning, intelligence, surveillance, and targeting for the US military, making them an increasingly high-value target. Potential threats include anti-satellite weapons, electronic warfare, cyberattacks, and spacecraft capable of operating close to or interfering with other satellites.
For the Space Force, space control encompasses efforts to protect US and allied space assets while maintaining the ability to monitor and respond to activities that could threaten them.
Leonardo DRS did not disclose the specific sensor architecture, planned platform, or intended production quantity under the new award.
