The U.S. Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office are beginning to launch satellites capable of tracking moving targets on the ground and at sea, according to Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, who helps oversee cybersecurity and nuclear operations for the Space Force. A full system of satellites is expected to begin launching in 2026.
The military is also working on a related system that would track airborne targets like planes from space. An options study for that program is expected to wrap up this fall.
Speaking during an online event on August 1, Burt said some early satellites with ground-tracking technology, called GMTI, are already heading into orbit. These initial systems include a combination of cameras and limited radar sensors, supported by a network of communication satellites that allow for real-time data sharing.
Burt said military and intelligence agencies are working together to make sure the system is useful from day one. Once in place, it will support U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region and contribute to a broader global Space Force mission. The long-term goal is to provide tracking coverage across multiple combat zones.
The new satellites are being developed to replace the Air Force’s retired JSTARS planes, which provided similar tracking from the air. The satellite system is also designed to be more resilient in combat than manned aircraft.
Tracking aircraft from space, known as AMTI, is much harder due to the smaller size and speed of airborne targets. But the Pentagon already has some test satellites in orbit, as U.S. Northern Command’s Gen. Gregory Guillot confirmed earlier this year.
While the airborne tracking system isn’t expected to be ready until the 2030s, Burt said the Space Force plans to use what it learns from the ground system to speed up development. Any future setup for tracking planes would likely include not just satellites, but also aircraft and ground systems working together.
