WASHINGTON — LeoLabs, a California-based operator of ground-based radars for tracking objects in low Earth orbit, has secured $4 million in funding under a U.S. military program to upgrade its mobile surveillance radar, the company said.
The funding was awarded through a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) agreement, a cost-sharing mechanism used by the U.S. Department of the Air Force’s SpaceWERX program to accelerate the deployment of dual-use commercial technologies with national security applications.
Under the agreement, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is expected to provide up to $2 million, matched by $2 million in private investment. LeoLabs will use the funding to develop and deploy a software upgrade for its mobile radar system — known as Scout — to enhance detection and tracking of missile launches. The company will also explore other upgrades to track highly maneuvering threats like hypersonic glide vehicles.
LeoLabs introduced its Scout radar in April as a containerized, mobile S-band system designed for military applications and partially funded by a Small Business Innovation Research contract. Unlike fixed installations, mobile radars can be rapidly deployed and repositioned — a capability the Pentagon has identified as increasingly critical in contested environments.
The TACFI deal comes on the heels of a larger $60 million Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) contract awarded to LeoLabs earlier this year to deploy surveillance radar in the Indo-Pacific region by 2027. That region is seen as a focal point for growing missile activity, including missile tests by China and North Korea.
Tony Frazier, CEO of LeoLabs, said the consecutive military contracts reflect a growing demand for space and missile domain awareness capabilities.
Founded in 2016, LeoLabs operates a network of phased-array radars worldwide, providing tracking services for satellites and debris in low Earth orbit.