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US Space Force awards Sphinx Defense a $287M OTA for ESS mission planning app (phase 3)

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command awarded Sphinx Defense a $287 million Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement to develop and complete prototyping for phase 3 of a mission planning application supporting the Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) system. The ground software is intended to underpin command and control of U.S. nuclear forces.

Discovered 2026-07-27T12:05:45.251446-07:00 | 2026-07-27T12:05:45.251446-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The $287M ESS phase-3 mission planning application contract targets ground software that supports command-and-control and communications for U.S. strategic nuclear forces.
  • The OTA structure signals a rapid prototyping approach for next-generation military SATCOM enablement, shaping how quickly capability is fielded.
  • It spotlights Sphinx Defense as a key software contractor in the Space Force’s Evolved Strategic SATCOM modernization pipeline, with direct implications for C2 software architectures and integration timelines.

Reported By

Via Satellite SpaceNews.com insidedefense.com Defense Daily
Sources Tracked
4
First Seen
2026-07-27T12:05:45.251446-07:00
Latest Update
2026-07-27T13:35:42.150070-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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