The program is designed to provide the Joint Force with persistent battlefield surveillance by continuously tracking airborne threats from space. The Space Force said growing risks to traditional terrestrial and airborne sensing platforms in contested environments have made new approaches increasingly necessary.
Officials said SB-AMTI directly supports the objectives of the 2026 National Defense Strategy by helping ensure the joint force can operate globally with greater flexibility. The program is intended to strengthen broader multi-domain moving target indicator capabilities by using space-based assets to expand operational reach.
Rather than relying on a single satellite, SB-AMTI is being developed as an integrated system of systems that includes advanced space-based sensors, artificial intelligence-enabled ground processing and secure communications links. The Space Force said AI tools will help filter large volumes of data and identify targets that may otherwise remain hidden.
“Our mission is to deliver a resilient sensing layer that ensures our joint warfighters maintain a decisive information advantage in the air domain—especially in a denied or contested environment,” said Ryan Frazier, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Space-Based Sensing and Targeting. “We are providing continuous oversight where traditional sensors cannot reach to protect their freedom of maneuver.”
The service said improved tracking capabilities are intended to eliminate operational blind spots and provide commanders with greater awareness across the air domain. Officials said this would allow military personnel to make faster decisions while reducing risks to forces and equipment.
To accelerate development, the Space Force said it has shifted its acquisition strategy to align with the 2026 National Defense Strategy’s focus on strengthening the defense industrial base and removing outdated procurement barriers. The Space-Based Sensing and Targeting office has launched a multi-vendor framework involving companies across the national security space sector.
Officials said the approach is designed to create a faster and more competitive market for advanced capabilities while enabling rapid integration of commercial space technologies, software and processing tools. The strategy also includes both traditional and non-traditional vendors of varying sizes and maturity levels.
“By utilizing this multi-vendor framework, we are capitalizing on established industry capacity to field these essential capabilities at speed and scale, while also partnering with industry to ensure a strong competitive industrial base well into the future,” Frazier said.
Frazier said the acquisition model is intended to support future competitions while delivering operational capabilities more quickly. “Crucially, this acquisition approach serves as the baseline for a broader, sustainable strategy,” Frazier added. “It allows us to foster a competitive industrial environment, preparing a wide array of partners for future capability competitions while delivering advanced, mission-critical solutions to the joint force at the speed of need.”
