Space Force Accepts SciTec’s FORGE Missile Warning System into Operations

The U.S. Space Force has formally accepted the second operational delivery of the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) system, developed by SciTec, signaling a step forward in advanced missile warning capability.

What Was Delivered

On September 23, 2025, the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Space Force Base received the operationally accepted iteration (OA #2) of the FORGE system. This integration pairs Mission Data Processing (MDP) capabilities with the cyber-secure FORGE Framework, aiming to provide enhanced accuracy, resiliency, and agility in missile warning operations.

The acquisition continues a modular, competitive development approach, favoring multiple component vendors rather than monolithic system delivery. This model supports incremental modernization of legacy ground infrastructure under an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) acquisition path.

Technical and Operational Advances

The new delivery includes improved image and signal processing functions, threat detection enhancements, and incorporation of AI/ML techniques. According to SciTec, these upgrades increase system sensitivity, extend tracking durations, and enable earlier detection of challenging threats.

The architecture is designed to permit continuous updates and refinements in concert with operational users, maintaining alignment with evolving mission needs.

Acquisition Strategy & Institutional Implications

SciTec’s selection under a production OTA followed a competitive prototype phase led by Space Systems Command’s System Delta 84. The approach emphasizes government-owned baselines, avoiding vendor lock, and promoting innovation across a broad industrial base.

This modular paradigm may become a reference point for other space ground system efforts, particularly in domains where rapid upgrade cycles and resilience to emerging threats are strategic imperatives.

Significance for Aerospace and Defense Stakeholders

For aerospace systems integrators, defense primes, and space technology firms, this milestone reinforces demand for expertise in modular ground processing, secure data architectures, and AI-enabled mission tools. The shift toward continuously evolving capabilities and component-level competition opens potential avenues for partnerships or subcontract roles in next-generation mission data systems.

Moreover, SciTec’s public announcement that it expects to be acquired by Firefly Aerospace later in 2025 suggests possible vertical integration between ground systems capability and space vehicle platforms. This operational acceptance of FORGE underscores how the Space Force continues to modernize and diversify its missile warning infrastructure to stay ahead of evolving geopolitical challenges.