Leidos said Monday that it was selected by Sierra Space to provide infrared sensing payloads, onboard signal-processing capabilities and mission support for the for the Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 Tracking Layer.

Sierra Space will integrate Leidos' infrared sensing payloads into 18 missile warning and tracking satellites, which will provide persistent detection and tracking of hypersonic and other advanced missile threats from low Earth orbit.

Leidos said its payloads combine infrared sensing with onboard digital signal processing that enables mission-relevant tracking data to be generated directly aboard the satellite, reducing latency and allowing actionable tracking information to be delivered faster to the military.

The company will also provide ground support equipment, mission expertise, operations support and sustainment throughout the program.