Apurva Minchekar

East Coast United States, Mumbai, Washington, D.C., United States

U.S. Air Force Reporter at Inside Defense

Assistant Editor @LogicallyFacts | Formerly @101reporters @insidedefense @GlobalStratView @BUNewsService | @COMatBU Alum | [email protected]

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Articles

Rocket Lab to build additional 18 T2TL Beta space vehicles for SDA

Jan 12, 2024 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The Space Development Agency announced Monday it has awarded a $515 million contract to Rocket Lab National Security to build 18 additional Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta variant satellites, an increase in the size of the constellation from 72 to 90 space vehicles. Rocket Lab National Security is a third vendor joining the team of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman , who were previously awarded a total amount of $1.5 billion to build 72 T2TL Beta variant satellites in August last...
SDA to hold industry day for ground segment integration program

Jan 12, 2024 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The Space Development Agency has scheduled a virtual industry day from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1 to discuss ground segment integration program acquisition, according to a notice posted yesterday. The agency will provide an overview of the acquisition to primes and subcontractors as well as allow time for one-on-one sessions with potential vendors, SDA said. Last month, SDA issued adraft request for proposals to inform government requirements for PGI and seek industry inputs on program acquisition.
SDA to hold top-secret level industry day for T2TL Gamma variant

Jan 10, 2024 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The Space Development Agency has scheduled a "top secret sensitive compartmented information level" industry presentation to discuss the Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Gamma variant solicitation, according to an announcement today. SDA noted the industry day will be held Feb. 7-8 in Chantilly, VA, and will focus on T2TL Gamma Other Transaction solicitation for payload development for space systems to provide fire control solutions.
Space Force achieves RED SKIES goals during 'inaugural execution'

Jan 4, 2024 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

announced it has successfully achieved the goals of the RED SKIES 24 exercise during the event's "inaugural execution" from Dec. 11 to Dec. 15. RED SKIES is a series of orbital warfare exercises developed by the Space Training and Readiness Command to prepare Guardians to defend against an aggressor’s potential attack on U.S. satellites. Last year, STARCOM spokeperson Lt. Col. Lori Hodge told The Space Force yesterday Inside Defense that the exercises would be designed by... Not a subscriber?
SDA issues RFI for ground segment integration program

Dec 22, 2023 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The Space Development Agency on Dec. 20 issued a draft request for proposals to inform government requirements for a ground integration program and is seeking industry inputs on program acquisition.
SSC seeks industry inputs to advance Combat Space Mobility concepts

Dec 12, 2023 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

Space Systems Command is seeking industry assistance to identify potential capabilities and technologies to advance Combat Space Mobility, according to a notice posted yesterday that aligns with operational imperatives introduced by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall. In 2022, Kendall introduced seven “Operational Imperatives” and “Cross-Cutting Operational Enablers” that focus on the service’s future budget and program decisions.
Lawmakers limit Air Force's ability to buy more than six KC-46As

Dec 7, 2023 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The Air Force will not be allowed to purchase more than six additional KC-46 tanker aircraft under the final lot of the contract with Boeing, according to Congress' fiscal year 2024 defense policy bill released Wednesday. The contract signed between the service and Boeing in 2011 included 179 tankers, with the final order expected in FY-27. The bill text released yesterday limits the service from buying more than 179 aircraft, and in order to buy more the Air Force would...
Space Force sees 'emerging successes' from new IMD prototypes

Dec 6, 2023 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The Space Force is seeing "emerging successes" from its Integrated Mission Delta prototypes within two months of their launch that aims to combine service activities under one command, the service said in a statement yesterday. In October, Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations, announced the launch of IMD mission , a two-unit prototype supporting electronic warfare and positioning, navigation and timing to bring operations and sustainment of the mission area under one command.
SDA to procure 20 T2TL Gamma variant satellites to lift off in June 2027

Dec 6, 2023 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The Space Development Agency is planning to procure 20 Tranche 2 Transport Layer Gamma variant satellites that are scheduled to launch by June 2027, according to a draft solicitation notice issued Monday. “T2TL features multiple space vehicles and mission configuration variants procured through a multi-solicitation and multi-vendor acquisition approach,” the agency said in the notice.
Space Force's DARC Site 1 to be operational in Australia in 2026

Dec 4, 2023 | insidedefense.com | Apurva Minchekar

The first site of the Space Force's new deep radar system will be operational in Western Australia beginning in 2026, according to a Dec. 1 announcement. The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability is a ground-based system to detect and track deep space objects 24/7 using solar gap exclusion, which is supported by the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the U.S. and the United Kingdom.