BlackSky expands Gen-3 assured access for international defense customer

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 17, 2026

BlackSky Technology Inc. has secured a new seven figure Assured contract that deepens its relationship with an international defense customer seeking guaranteed access to Gen 2 and Gen 3 satellite capabilities. The agreement extends uncontested tasking priority and real time delivery of imagery and AI enabled analytics over the country's key areas of interest.

The Assured model gives the customer the highest priority access to BlackSky's tasking capacity to support missions that require rapid intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. According to BlackSky chief executive Brian E. OToole, customers are choosing Assured because it offers a high degree of confidence that collection and delivery will occur at the speed required for operations.

The customer relies on BlackSky's dynamic monitoring services as a routine part of its daily workflow to keep watch over critical maritime zones, border regions and infrastructure. BlackSky's system is designed to deliver persistent visibility into these locations so that operators can detect and respond to emerging threats as they unfold.

This latest contract is framed as a long term commitment to provide persistent, space based intelligence in an environment where security challenges can change in real time. OToole said the deal underscores BlackSky's role in helping defense customers maintain situational awareness in complex operational theaters.

Beyond the Assured service, BlackSky is also supporting the customer's defense modernization strategy by accelerating its sovereign space capabilities. The company is providing an end to end mission solution that includes Gen 3 Earth observation satellites, associated ground station infrastructure and flight operations support.

Assured serves as an early ISR bridge for the customer, delivering space based intelligence before its own satellites become operational. When the customer's Gen 3 electro optical satellites reach orbit, they will operate in parallel with BlackSky's commercial constellation to feed mission relevant insights directly into existing workflows at high speed.

BlackSky is leveraging a vertically integrated technology stack that combines satellite manufacturing, software and AI driven analytics to meet growing global demand for reliable space based intelligence. Customers can access this capability through flexible On Demand and Assured subscription models, as well as through fully sovereign mission solutions.

The Gen 3 architecture is designed to deliver enhanced image clarity that improves AI enabled detection, identification and classification of vehicles, aircraft, vessels and other tactically important objects. By controlling design, production and operations in house, BlackSky aims to deploy new space systems and intelligence services rapidly and at competitive cost.

The company positions this combination of real time monitoring, advanced analytics and assured access as a way for defense and government users to obtain a decisive edge in planning and operations. With this latest contract, BlackSky continues to expand the international footprint of its Gen 3 offering while advancing the integration of commercial and sovereign space capabilities for national defense customers.