Concept of Millennium’s FOO Fighter constellation. Image: Millennium Space Systems

L3Harris will supply the infrared payloads for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) FOO Fighter satellites. L3Harris received a contract from prime contractor Millennium Space Systems, the company announced May 2. 

Under the deal, L3Harris will build eight infrared payloads. They will be manufactured in Wilmington, Massachusetts. 

The SDA awarded Millennium, a Boeing company, potential $414 million contract to build and deliver eight missile defense fire control satellites for launch in late 2026 as part of a demonstration effort.

The Fire-control On Orbit-support-to-the-war Fighter (FOO Fighter) program is part of the agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). The satellites are a new, stand-alone program that will track specific threats not addressed by the existing tracking constellation. 

“As global threats continue to rise, these experimental FOO Fighter satellites will test new technologies to fill potential missile defense capability gaps within the Department of Defense portfolio,” said Ed Zoiss, president of Space & Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “Equipped with L3Harris electro-optical infrared sensors, the U.S. will use the satellites to provide enhanced fire-control in support of global detection, warning and precision tracking of advanced missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems.”