Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has cleared a significant milestone in its work for the Space Development Agency (SDA), announcing the successful completion of a Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Advanced Fire Control Ground Infrastructure (AFCGI) system. The review, finalized with no outstanding technical issues or “liens,” confirms that the system’s design is mature and ready for the next phase of development.
The achievement is notable for its speed. Kratos moved from the program’s Preliminary Design Review (PDR) to CDR in just eight months. The PDR itself was completed a swift five months after the initial contract was awarded in 2024. This rapid progression underscores the company’s use of agile development models to deliver complex space systems on an accelerated timeline, ensuring the program remains on track for its planned launch dates.
AFCGI is a critical component of the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Under a prime contract valued at $116.7 million, Kratos is developing a sophisticated ground system designed to function as a unified, cloud-based operations center. It will integrate advanced software, resilient ground infrastructure, and secure networks to process and disseminate time-sensitive fire control data. The primary goal is to provide warfighters with direct, actionable information to support real-time missions.
The successful CDR with zero liens indicates that all major design challenges and technical risks have been fully addressed, allowing the program to move into implementation without delay. This achievement was enabled by Kratos’ OpenSpace ground architecture, a modular and scalable software platform designed to accelerate the integration of new capabilities.
“Completing this critical design review ahead of schedule demonstrates Kratos’ commitment to delivering advanced, software-driven solutions faster than traditional methods allow,” said Greg Caicedo, Senior Vice President of Kratos Space. “Our continued investment in scalable and resilient architectures, like OpenSpace, is directly aligned with meeting the urgent operational demands of the warfighter and the strategic goals of the SDA.”
