Space Force operationally accepts SciTec Forge missile warning ground system

Space Force operationally accepts SciTec Forge missile warning ground system
by Clarence Oxford
Boulder, CO (SPX) Oct 17, 2025

On September 23, 2025, the U.S. Space Force declared operational acceptance of the second operational delivery of the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution, or FORGE, for the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Space Force Base. OA #2 integrates FORGE Mission Data Processing with the cyber-secure FORGE Framework to sharpen accuracy, boost performance, and harden resiliency across Missile Warning.

"This delivery provides dramatic performance enhancements to our Missile Warning warfighters," said Matt McHugh, SciTec Executive Director and senior FORGE technical advisor. "With FORGE processing we're delivering cutting edge image processing, signal detection, and AI/ML throughout the stack, which is dramatically increasing the sensitivity of the system and enabling Missile Warning to detect more and stealthier threats sooner, and track them longer. Just as importantly, we are now able to continuously deliver enhancements into the operational system in close collaboration with the operational users to ensure Missile Warning stays ahead of the threat."

Managed by System Delta 84 at Space Systems Command, FORGE represents a shift in ground system acquisition. Rather than buying a monolithic system from a single vendor, the government runs prototype competitions for component pieces under other transaction authority, enabling rapid modernization of legacy infrastructure while fostering innovation and speed.

SSC selected SciTec in August 2022, following a 12-month prototype competition, to deliver next-generation mission data processing applications for Missile Warning. In March 2023, after a nine-month competitive fly-off, SSC tasked SciTec to add sensor-specific processing applications. Earlier this year SciTec received the Enterprise OPIR System contract to complete the FORGE Framework, with these elements converging for OA #2.

"FORGE proves there is a better way to do acquisition - expand the industrial base, leverage non-traditionals, try before you buy, and emphasize close collaboration between operations and acquisitions," said David Simenc, SciTec President. "For all of our FORGE efforts our approach has been the same. Speed to Ops - deliver on schedule. Ensure the government owns the baseline - no vendor lock. And focus on the mission - deliver for the warfighter. We are delivering four more major operational milestones in the next 24 months while continuously enhancing existing operational capabilities. We look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with the Space Force's System Deltas and Mission Deltas to deliver these critical capabilities."

SciTec, a non-traditional defense contractor headquartered in Princeton, NJ, executes the FORGE program primarily from its software factory in Boulder, CO. On October 6, SciTec announced its intent to be acquired by Firefly Aerospace, with closing anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2025.