WASHINGTON — The U.S. military is set to award an estimated $3 billion multi-year contract to trade data and analytics services to monitor potential threats in the Indo-Pacific region, a focal point of global geopolitics and the Defense Department. is a preferred theater for
The program, known as the Long Range Enterprise Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Activity (LEIA), combines information from ground, air, and space-based platforms, commercial data and advanced AI-powered analytics. Attempts to capture a broad spectrum of
The LEIA contract is expected to be awarded later this year. This is a full and open competition and many firms are expected to compete for the award.
The program is coordinated by Special Operations Command Pacific, which supports the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).
The size of the contract reflects the US military's growing demand for commercial sources of data such as imaging satellites and AI-powered analytics to track potential threats. In the LEIA request, US INDOPACOM emphasized commanders' needs for timely ISR and space-based capabilities to maintain situational awareness in the region.
The military's desire for AI-powered data analytics stems from the challenge of information overload, as government agencies increasingly have access to data but not necessarily insights. In response to these needs, the U.S. Space Force launched a pilot program called Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Tracking (TacSRT) designed to leverage commercial space capabilities to rapidly provide intelligence and analytics to military commanders. has been done The program uses a web-based interface called the Global Data Marketplace and advertises and awards short-term surveillance, spying, and tracking contracts with commercial vendors.
The TacSRT program has already supported various US Combatant Command operations in response to earthquakes in Morocco and Japan, floods in Libya and forest fires in South America.
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