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Space Development Agency awards subcontract for cutting-edge tracking payloads to detect hypersonic threats
Leonardo DRS has secured a subcontract to deliver advanced infrared mission payloads for the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer Tranche 3 program, a critical component of U.S. missile defense infrastructure.
The defense contractor will design, build, integrate, and test sophisticated infrared sensors capable of detecting and tracking ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons from space. These payloads will undergo thermal vacuum and thermal balance testing at Leonardo DRS’s Space Payload Lab in Cypress, California, according to the company’s announcement.
Global Tracking Capability
The TRKT3 program aims to provide continuous global coverage for missile threats. Leonardo DRS’s infrared sensors will track hostile launches from initial detection through interception. The technology delivers precision fire-control data to guide missile interceptors toward their targets.
“This award recognizes our innovative best-in-class technology and continued investment in advanced space-based capabilities,” said John Baylouny, Leonardo DRS chief executive officer. He emphasized that company investments enable teams to advance sensing technology and space payload manufacturing for national security missions.
Strategic Defense Architecture
The Space Development Agency is building a layered satellite constellation to counter evolving threats. Hypersonic weapons, which travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, pose significant challenges to traditional radar-based defense systems. Space-based infrared sensors offer persistent surveillance and early warning capabilities that ground-based systems cannot match.
Leonardo DRS brings extensive experience in multi-domain infrared systems to the TRKT3 program. The company supplies cooled and uncooled infrared technology to the U.S. government and allied nations. Its systems operate across ground, maritime, airborne, and space environments.
“As the payload provider, DRS is incredibly proud to support this missile defense mission to defend the homeland,” said Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS’s Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems business unit.
Advanced Sensing Portfolio
Leonardo DRS has positioned advanced sensing as a core strategic priority. The company integrates multi-domain sensing with secure communications and laser technologies. Its portfolio includes systems for Golden Dome air defense, counter-unmanned aircraft systems, autonomous maritime protection, and ground combat platforms.
The TRKT3 contract builds on Leonardo DRS’s next-generation space sensing technologies. Company engineering teams have developed sophisticated payload design and manufacturing capabilities specifically for complex space missions. These capabilities support the accelerated deployment timeline that the Space Development Agency requires.
Space-based missile defense represents a growing priority as potential adversaries develop increasingly sophisticated weapons. The TRKT3 program’s global coverage aims to eliminate detection gaps that could be exploited during a conflict. Infrared sensors provide essential tracking data regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
Leonardo DRS did not disclose the contract value or delivery timeline for the infrared mission payloads.
Source: Leonardo DRS Press Release
