Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Capability

Mission — Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Capability source

The United States Army Tactical Space Strategy provides tactical land component forces with space-based capabilities required to close the top three Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) gaps and counter adversarial surveillance and reconnaissance systems that affect friendly maneuver forces. National, DoD, commercial space-based, and High Altitude (HA) sensor data will be integrated into army and Joint ground architectures to provide resilient communications, assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), all domain sensing capabilities (including space, high altitude, aerial and terrestrial sensors, data transport, data fusion, data analytics), automated Processing Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) required in the targeting process (target recognition, machine learning and advanced algorithm development), and provide command and control (C2) of non-kinetic fires for counter ISR capabilities to enable maneuver force operations. These capabilities will enable rapid and responsive all-domain targeting applications required to engage and defeat A2/AD forces and enable force projection and freedom of maneuver in contested Multi-Domain Operations and continue to inform the Army and Joint Services Family of Integrated Targeting Cells (FIT-C). Provides prototyping, experimentation, and risk reduction activities for ground architecture, supporting wide-area, responsive, and deep-area sensing required for Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) targeting and C2 of non-kinetic fires for counter ISR operations, significantly reducing Sensor to Shooter (S2S) timelines and enabling freedom of maneuver for operational forces. It will enable Warfighters at echelon to conduct C2 of counter surveillance and reconnaissance operations and to dynamically task, receive and disseminate data to directly support live-fire S2S demonstrations and assessments. FY2026 base funding in the amount of $ 17.063 million provides prototyping, experimentation, and risk reduction activities for the Army as it continues to develop and field prototypes to close the all domain sensing capability gap and provide C2 of counter adversarial surveillance and reconnaissance systems. Complimentary AI/ ML technologies are assessed via various prototyping and ground station (FIT-C) architecture efforts. These Advanced Component Development and Prototypes efforts enable ground stations to dynamically task, receive, and disseminate data to directly support live-fire, Warfighting function system of system demonstrations and assessments, enabling wide-area, responsive, and deep-area sensing and force maneuver. Additionally, this funding supports C2 architecture prototyping and experimentation of counter ISR capabilities, along with navigation warfare (NAVWAR) technology integration and Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technology development and assessments, including experimentation and prototyping in denied, degraded, intermittent, or limited (DDIL) operating environments. The FY 2026 request was reduced by $0.24 million for Advisory and Assistance Services to promote efficiencies and advance the policies of the Administration in alignment with Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative."

Mission — Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Capability source

The United States Army Tactical Space Strategy provides tactical land component forces with space-based capabilities required to close the top three Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) gaps and counter adversarial surveillance and reconnaissance systems that affect friendly maneuver forces. National, DoD, commercial space-based, and High Altitude (HA) sensor data will be integrated into army and Joint ground architectures to provide resilient communications, assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), all domain sensing capabilities (including space, high altitude, aerial and terrestrial sensors, data transport, data fusion, data analytics), automated Processing Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) required in the targeting process (target recognition, machine learning and advanced algorithm development), and provide command and control (C2) of non-kinetic fires for counter ISR capabilities to enable maneuver force operations. These capabilities will enable rapid and responsive all-domain targeting applications required to engage and defeat A2/AD forces and enable force projection and freedom of maneuver in contested Multi-Domain Operations and continue to inform the Army and Joint Services Family of Integrated Targeting Cells (FIT-C). Provides prototyping, experimentation, and risk reduction activities for ground architecture, supporting wide-area, responsive, and deep-area sensing required for Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) targeting and C2 of non-kinetic fires for counter ISR operations, significantly reducing Sensor to Shooter (S2S) timelines and enabling freedom of maneuver for operational forces. It will enable Warfighters at echelon to conduct C2 of counter surveillance and reconnaissance operations and to dynamically task, receive and disseminate data to directly support live-fire S2S demonstrations and assessments. FY 2026 base funding in the amount of $17.063 million provides prototyping, experimentation, and risk reduction activities for the Army as it continues to develop and field prototypes to close the all domain capability gap and provide C2 of counter adversarial surveillance and reconnaissance systems. Complimentary AI/ML technologies are assessed via various prototyping and ground station (FIT-C) architecture efforts. These Advanced Component Development and Prototypes efforts enable ground stations to dynamically task, receive, and disseminate data to directly support live-fire, Warfighting function system of system demonstrations and assessments, enabling wide-area, responsive, and deep-area sensing and force maneuver. Additionally, this funding supports C2 architecture prototyping and experimentation of counter ISR capabilities, along with Electronic Warfare (EW) and navigation warfare (NAVWAR) technology integration and Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technology development and assessments, including experimentation and prototyping in denied, degraded, intermittent, or limited (DDIL) operating environments.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)