$151M OTA Agreement Awarded to Accelerate Missile Warning Capabilities for the Space Force

Mar 3, 2025 – National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL), who manages the U.S. Space Force’s Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) program, has successfully fostered a partnership between the Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) and BAE Systems to advance the tactical command & control (C2) solution for the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) program.

Through this collaboration, SSC has awarded a SpEC Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract to BAE Systems for $151M to build upon the critical milestones achieved in Phase 1 of the FORGE C2 prototyping effort to deliver a prototype ready for SSC’s Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) system.

“This next award in the SSC FORGE C2 program marks a significant milestone in the DoD’s innovative command and control solutions for missile warning and tracking capabilities in the U.S. and NSTXL is working alongside our SSC partners to get after that need,” said Mike Young, Vice President of NSTXL, SpEC.  “NSTXL understands SSC’s needs and the importance of having an efficient way of deploying new technologies to support cyber resilience in space. Efficient contracting methods like the SpEC OTA are the optimal avenues for SSC projects like FORGE C2, as they ensure that new tech gets out as quickly and securely as possible.”

While managing SSC’s SpEC program, NSTXL personnel must understand the mission for each SSC program while stewarding SpEC members to get after the government’s requirements and objectives. For programs like FORGE, “the overarching objective of this multi-phase effort is the development, integration, and delivery of a consolidated Missile Warning and Tracking (MWT) FORGE C2 prototype, expanding upon existing capabilities,” said Young. It includes the successful integration of Mission Unique Software (MUS) / Applications (MUA) using modern software practices that will lay the groundwork for a C2 solution for the MWT enterprise. It will also provide a FORGE C2 solution ready to support major government test events.

“For our team, having that deep understanding of the government’s mission, allows our folks to manage the SpEC program effectively and efficiently,” said Young.

The SSC FORGE program plays a critical role in modernizing the U.S. Space Force’s MWT ground system by utilizing industry best practices, Commercial Off-The-Shelf products, Government Off-The-Shelf products, and Free or Open-Source Software, which NSTXL helped to steward between SSC and its SpEC members. FORGE allows for continuous and rapid innovation, easing the integration and scalability of capabilities provided by third-party providers. In Phase 2 of FORGE C2, SpEC partners like BAE Systems are solidifying these capabilities and providing a “runway” through which modern C2 software best practices can be transitioned into government systems.

By leveraging SpEC’s OTA contracting method, SSC was able to take advantage of contracting flexibility and accelerated timelines to bridge legacy and next-generation capabilities with a government-owned, open, and scalable architecture for the FORGE program. SpEC is a consortium sponsored by SSC and comprised of hundreds of top-tier technology innovators in the space defense industry standing at the ready to tackle the DoD’s critical needs.

As FORGE C2 enhances cyber resilience, supports continuous innovation, and ensures rapid deployment of new capabilities, it is future-proofing the ground infrastructure, securing the nation’s ability to defend against evolving global threats, and NSTXL continues to foster these types of relationships through the SpEC.

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About SpEC

The Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) was created in 2017 through the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command to bridge the gap between military buyers and commercial space startups and small businesses through OTAs. Companies interested in joining the Space Enterprise Consortium can find more information about the organization, including how to join, at https://www.space-enterprise.org/.