The National Reconnaissance Office is preparing to launch new satellites to track moving vehicles and people from space. The Air Force plans to replace its aging E-8 JSTARS aircraft with more survivable space assets. The NRO has already put satellites into orbit for testing and is now ready to launch satellites for operations, according to director Christopher Scolese. The agency did not disclose a timeline for when the new satellites will be launched or operational.
The NRO is developing the program with the Space Force, who will operate the new satellites. The Space Force plans to work with the NRO to field a GMTI system in fiscal year 2025, with a budget request of $244 million for the Long Range Kill Chains program. The program is part of the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept and will provide information on adversary surface targets to the warfighter.
Space Force officials have stated that the GMTI program cannot move forward until Congress passes the fiscal 2024 budget, as it is a new start in last year’s budget request.
