WASHINGTON — The Space Force’s complex, and somewhat challenged, program to develop a new ground system for its next generation of missile warning satellites is inching forward, with four firms set to compete for development of a command and control (C2) system prototype.
NSTXL, which manages the Space Systems Command (SSC) Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) program, today announced awards to Ball Aerospace, Parsons, General Dynamics and Omni Federal for the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution Command and Control (FORGE C2) prototype project. Each award is worth $9.75 million over 16 months, according to a NSTXL press release.
The prototype effort is designed to lay the foundation for what eventually will be a government-owned, cyber-secure satellite C2 system that will provide mission management, ground control, telemetry, tracking and command functions for two key Space Force missile warning constellations: the current Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) and its planned replacement, the $14.4 billion Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) system.