The Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements have a combined value of 3.2 billion USD

The US Space Force has officialised the list of Companies that have been awarded Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Agreements to begin the maturation of their proposals for Space Based Interceptors able to deal with ballistic and hypersonic threats.

The Agreements have been let at various times between late 2025 and early 2026 and add up to a potential combined award value of up to $3.2B. The Companies awarded are Anduril Industries Inc, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc, General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc, GITAI USA Inc, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Quindar Inc, Raytheon Company, Sci-Tec Inc, True Anomaly Inc, and Turion Space Corp.

The aim is to develop a space-based missile defense interceptor system that will demonstrate capability integrated into the GOLDEN DOME OF AMERICA (GDA) architecture by 2028. The SBI capability is anticipated to be deployed as a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of interceptors “capable of boost, midcourse, and glide phase engagements”, where “glide” is obviously specifically referring to hypersonic gliders.

OTAs are a contracting mechanism that enable the program office to attract both traditional and non-traditional vendors to increase competition and encourage the creation of more mature design proposals. Government maintains contracting flexibility to award to the best provider.

The US Space Force expects to “demonstrate an initial capability in 2028”, according to USSF Col. Bryon McClain, Program Executive Officer for Space Combat Power.

Space Based Interceptors remain a classified capability area so no further information is being released at this time.

SBIs are expected to play a key role in the GOLDEN DOME vision for full-spectrum anti-missile defence. The responsiveness of interceptors based in space is seen as essential to counter the most complex of threats, including hypersonic missiles. The technological challenges to be overcome remain, however, extremely significant, so that the Department of War remains open to the possibility that the SBI vision might not fully be realized at this time.

That said, the FY 2027 budget request ups the investment for “developing and deploying a proliferated layer of Space-Based Interceptors”, with substantial funding included in the wider 17.5 billion USD of Mandatory funds specific for the GOLDEN DOME enterprise, of which 14.2 are for research and development activities.

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