The US Department of the Air Force has launched a major push to track aircraft from space, signaling that a once-challenging technology is now ready for deployment.
Speaking at the Space Symposium, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed that the service has already awarded a base contract for the program. He added that a new competition is underway for the first operational set of satellites under the Airborne Moving Target Indication (AMTI) program.
“We’ve awarded the base contract for the new space-based airborne moving target indication capability, and are competing for the first operational increment,” Meink said during his keynote address.
The AMTI system is designed to detect and track moving aircraft from space. This is not an easy task. Satellites orbit at high speeds, while aircraft maneuver quickly through the atmosphere. Matching these movements and maintaining accurate tracking has long posed serious technical hurdles.
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Despite that, Meink pushed back against doubts. He said the core technology has already been proven.
“There’s not a question anymore about whether or not the technology works,” Meink said. “We know it does. Now it’s just, how do we build it affordably and get it into orbit and make sure we have competition going forward.”
The contract structure reflects that approach. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is using an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity model. This allows multiple companies to take part in early development work. Over time, the department plans to issue several operational contracts as the system matures.
Meink noted that one of these contracts, covering the first operational satellites, will be awarded ‘fairly shortly.’ However, he did not name the companies involved in the initial base contract.
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The timing of this push is significant. The US Space Force has requested $7 billion in its fiscal 2027 budget to begin procuring AMTI systems. This marks a sharp shift from fiscal 2026, when no funds were allocated for buying such satellites.
The scale of that request shows growing confidence within the Pentagon. It also highlights the importance of space-based tracking for future military operations.
General Chance Saltzman, the head of the Space Force, emphasized that the program is being designed with flexibility in mind. Instead of building a small number of highly complex systems, the service wants something scalable.
“We have designed the requirements around scalability so we can use the procurement funding lines to actually achieve that economy of scale with industry,” Saltzman said.
In simple terms, the Space Force wants more satellites at a lower cost, rather than a few expensive ones. This approach is expected to improve coverage and resilience, especially in contested environments.
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The AMTI effort is part of a broader push to expand space-based sensing. The Space Force is also working on ground moving target indication (GMTI) satellites in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office.
These systems aim to track targets across air and land domains. This would give military commanders a clearer and more complete picture of the battlefield.
The growing focus on space-based tracking has also influenced debates within the Pentagon. One key point of tension involves the Air Force’s Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft program. Lawmakers previously stepped in to keep the program alive after the Air Force tried to cancel it. Some officials see space-based systems like AMTI as a future replacement for such aircraft.
At the same time, military planners are looking ahead to how wars may evolve. The Space Force’s long-term “Objective Force” plan describes moving target indication as an “emerging mission” that will be critical through 2040.
Modern battlefields are becoming more complex. Autonomous vehicles, drone swarms, and mixed-force operations are increasing the speed and scale of combat. This leaves less time for decision-making.
To keep up, forces need the ability to detect and track multiple moving targets simultaneously. They must also connect that information across the domains of air, land, sea, and space.
Space-based AMTI systems are expected to play a key role here. They can provide persistent, global coverage. Unlike ground-based radars or aircraft, satellites are not limited by geography or range.
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They also support beyond line-of-sight targeting. This means forces can track and engage targets even when they are far outside the direct line of sight. In contested environments, this capability can be decisive.
Another advantage is connectivity. Satellites can link up to form a network that shares data in real time. This improves awareness across combatant commands and helps coordinate operations more effectively.
As the program moves forward, the main challenge will not be proving the technology but scaling it. The Pentagon now faces the task of building a system that is both powerful and affordable.
With contracts expected soon and funding on the horizon, the AMTI program is entering an important phase. If successful, it could reshape how the US military tracks and targets threats worldwide.
