Lawmakers Advocate for Space Force's Investment in Commercial Spy Technology
The U.S. Space Force's Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking (TacSRT) program, which provides unclassified reconnaissance and surveillance information to various Pentagon organizations within hours, is currently under review due to funding concerns.
The program, initially a pilot program, has been funded by Congress to the tune of $40 million for fiscal years 2024 and 2025, despite the Department of the Air Force not budgeting for it in those years. For fiscal 2026, the Space Force's budget request does not include adequate resources to continue TacSRT.
To address this, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has recommended an additional $55 million for the program and is pushing to establish TacSRT as an enduring "program of record" funded within the Department of the Air Force’s commercial services budget line. This move reflects strong legislative support for expanding and sustaining the program.
The HASC’s fiscal 2026 defense bill mandates the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to establish a Title 10 requirement for TacSRT and requires the Air Force to fund it permanently. This step recognizes TacSRT’s novel acquisition process that leverages commercial remote sensing capabilities with tactically relevant timelines to meet combatant commanders’ dynamic needs.
As the demand for tactical space surveillance capabilities remains high, the Space Force is working on multi-orbit architectures, including Very Low-Earth Orbit (VLEO), to improve these capabilities. The Space Systems Command, collaborating with the Defense Innovation Unit, is advancing multi-orbit architectures, which would include VLEO, to meet increasing combatant command demand for timely, actionable space-derived intelligence.
Lawmakers are directing exploration of the VLEO orbit regime to tap enhanced tactical surveillance capabilities. Although details are less specific, there is legislative encouragement for the Space Force to pursue hybrid architectures combining commercial and government systems across multiple orbits, including VLEO, to improve tactical command and control and ally data sharing.
Members of the House of Representatives have also directed the Pentagon's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) office to review the TacSRT program, its mission use cases, objectives, contracting mechanisms, organization, operations, and use of contracts with commercial vendors. The CAPE office is expected to identify and make recommendations for the TacSRT program and brief Congress on its findings within six months.
Rep. Jeff Crank has offered an amendment recognizing the potential of VLEO for persistent surveillance, tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), and responsive sensing in contested environments. He has also proposed adding $1 million to the budget for the development of a Very Low Earth Orbit Persistent Surveillance System.
In addition, $5 million was directed toward "VLEO Spacecraft for Tactical SRT" in the authorization bill. The House Armed Services Committee has also directed the Secretary of the Air Force to make TacSRT a program of record.
The HASC has included $50 million for TacSRT in their National Defense Authorization bill. TacSRT was used during the withdrawal from air bases in Niger and the construction of the Joint-Logistics-Over-the-Shore pier off Gaza in 2024.
As the TacSRT program continues to evolve, it remains a significant tool in the U.S. Space Force's arsenal for providing timely, actionable intelligence to combatant commanders. The Space Force is working diligently to address funding concerns and expand the program's capabilities, particularly in the rapidly growing domain of very low-Earth orbit.
[1] Space Force Faces Funding Scrutiny as Lawmakers Push for TacSRT Expansion, Breaking Defense, link
[2] TacSRT, Congressional Research Service, link
- The Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking (TacSRT) program, initially a pilot program, is currently under review due to funding concerns within the Pentagon, despite its significant role in providing timely, actionable intelligence to combatant commanders.
- To continue TacSRT, the Space Force's budget request for fiscal 2026 does not include adequate resources, but the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has recommended an additional $55 million and is advocating for TacSRT to become a permanent program of record.
- The HASC’s fiscal 2026 defense bill mandates the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to establish a Title 10 requirement for TacSRT and directs the Air Force to fund it permanently. The bill also recognizes TacSRT’s unique acquisition process that utilizes commercial remote sensing capabilities with tactically relevant timelines.
- As the demand for tactical space surveillance capabilities continues to grow, the Space Force is focusing on multi-orbit architectures, including Very Low-Earth Orbit (VLEO), to improve these capabilities. Lawmakers are also encouraging the exploration of VLEO orbit regime for enhanced tactical surveillance and the development of a Very Low Earth Orbit Persistent Surveillance System.
