Air Force awards $20M contract for new common ground system

The Air Force is one step closer to the creation of a new common platform for satellite command and control.

The Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center Braxton Technologies of Colorado Springs a $20 million contract May 17 to begin prototyping and integrating the new Enterprise Ground Services (EGS). The Air Force announced the deal in a May 31 press release.

The purpose of EGS is to develop a common ground system and end user experience for all of the Air Force’s upcoming satellite programs. Today, most military satellites have custom-built ground systems. Not only can that be expensive, it also makes it difficult for end users to adapt to new systems and for ground systems to communicate with each other.

The new architecture will still allow for flexibility among the various space systems, as individual systems will need to be tailored to their specific mission requirements. The goal of EGS is to ensure all those space systems are built on a common base with similar end user experiences.

“We are excited to embark on this partnership which will enhance our ability to drive speed in our processes, to deliver capabilities to support the warfighters, and develop innovative solutions that add resiliency to fight and win in a war that extends into space,” Joshua Sullivan, material leader for EGS, said in a release. “This contract will allow SMC and Air Force Space Command to concentrate resources to provide the most secure, effective, and interoperable tactical command and control experience to mission partners across the Air Force space enterprise.”

The $19 million Small Business Innovative Research contract awarded to Braxton Technologies has a ceiling of $100 million. The work is expected to be completed by May 10, 2024.

The Braxton Technologies award comes after the Air Force announced a $655 million contract to Engility Corp. in January to provide engineering, development, integration and sustainment services supporting the Ground System Enterprise and the eventual transition to Enterprise Ground Services. That work is expected to be completed January 31, 2026.

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