*FORGE, developed by SciTec, combines data from multiple sensors to help Space Force Guardians detect, track, and analyze threats

Firefly Aerospace Inc. (Nasdaq: FLY) announced Wednesday that its defense software subsidiary, SciTec, has reached a new operational milestone on the U.S. Space Force’s FORGE missile-warning system. SciTec now brings infrared data from a Space Force satellite in geostationary orbit into FORGE. As a result, Guardians get a wider view for detecting and tracking missile threats in real time.

Key Points

• SciTec has integrated data from Space Systems Command’s Wide Field of View spacecraft in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) into FORGE.
• The sensor provides Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) coverage and adds persistent, wide-area situational awareness for missile warning.
• The milestone advances SciTec’s $259 million FORGE Enterprise OPIR Solution contract.
• FORGE took on the new data stream without any infrastructure changes, which supports its open, scalable design.

Firefly Aerospace (FLY) Expands FORGE’s View From Orbit

FORGE stands for Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution. It is the ground system that Space Force System Delta 84 uses to process data from missile warning and tracking satellites. With this milestone, SciTec feeds the Wide Field of View satellite’s key data products directly into FORGE, alongside the satellite data SciTec already processes. Consequently, operators can detect time-critical threats faster across a broader area.

SciTec President David Simenc said the company uses AI and machine learning to process massive streams of sensor data across all orbits in real time. He added that the new GEO data helps operators detect, track and analyze threats more quickly.

The new capability also goes straight into the daily workflows of Space Force Guardians. In other words, the data supports live operations today, not just testing.

Building on a Proven Platform

This milestone follows FORGE’s second operational acceptance in September 2025. That acceptance fully moved FORGE’s mission data processing and framework services into operations. Since then, SciTec has kept adding capability to the platform. Notably, FORGE has absorbed each new data source without major rework, a flexibility Firefly calls central to the next generation of missile warning and battlespace awareness missions.

Under the $259 million Enterprise OPIR Solution contract, SciTec supplies mission software that turns raw infrared sensor data into actionable insights. Its applications run natively within FORGE, so the Space Force can add new data streams as its mission needs change.

SciTec Gives Firefly a Growing Defense Engine

Firefly acquired SciTec in an $855 million deal, adding AI-enabled defense software to its launch and lunar business. Since then, SciTec has steadily expanded its work across national security programs. Earlier this month, for example, SciTec expanded its U.S. Air Force contract to add counter-drone data to the Advanced Battle Management System.

Meanwhile, Firefly continues to advance its core space business. On October 21, the company completed the preliminary design review for NASA’s MoonFall mission. Before that, Firefly gained access to NASA payload processing work at Vandenberg and posted a successful Alpha rocket launch earlier this year.

What Comes Next for Firefly

Firefly plans to report third-quarter 2026 financial results on November 10. Investors will likely watch for updates on SciTec’s defense backlog, Alpha launch cadence and lunar program milestones. Today’s FORGE milestone shows that Firefly’s software business already supports live national security operations, adding a steady defense revenue stream alongside its launch and lunar work.

Firefly Aerospace is a component of the PRISM Aerospace and Defense Index, which tracks small- and mid-cap companies building the technologies behind modern defense, space and national security.

The post Firefly’s SciTec Strengthens Space Force Missile Warning With New GEO Sensor Data appeared first on PRISM MarketView.

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