US Space Force strengthens missile warning network with acceptance of next generation SBIRS S2E2 system
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 02, 2025
The Strategic Missile Warning Ground and Integration Acquisition Delta, part of Space Systems Command (SSC), in coordination with Space Operations Command’s Mission Delta 4, has officially accepted the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Survivable Endurable Evolution (S2E2) system for operational use. This critical milestone, achieved on April 25, 2025, enhances the resilience of the U.S. missile warning architecture in increasingly contested and degraded operational environments.
The S2E2 system replaces the outdated Mobile Ground System (MGS), which dates back to the 1960s and was originally used for Defense Support Program (DSP) operations. The new system includes modern, mobile ground terminals designed to handle data from both SBIRS and nuclear detonation (NUDET) detection systems. By combining SBIRS Mobile Ground Terminals with Universal Ground Nuclear Detection Terminals, S2E2 delivers significant improvements in capability, survivability, and deployment agility.
“The S2E2 Operational Acceptance marks a significant leap forward in our ability to provide resilient, uninterrupted missile warning and nuclear detection in the most challenging environments,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Wilson, SSC materiel leader. “This achievement strengthens the backbone of our national defense and maintains the U.S. strategic advantage in an ever-evolving threat environment.”
Operational Acceptance signifies the system’s readiness to fulfill its operational role. It authorizes the system to begin full operational service under the oversight of Mission Delta 4.
“S2E2 is the first survivable and endurable system with built-in command and control capabilities designed to function through contested and degraded conditions,” noted Capt. Connor Dejac, SSC fielding program manager for the Infrastructure Branch. “This ensures our warfighters continue receiving timely, accurate information to make rapid, informed decisions when it matters most.”
The system is engineered to perform through every phase of conflict, reinforcing the Space Force’s mission to provide enduring and resilient missile warning for the United States and its allies.
Capt. Morgan Records, SSC deputy program manager for the Infrastructure Branch, added, “S2E2 will deliver the first-ever high data rate missile warning messages, enabling faster and more detailed transmission of critical data. This means national command authorities will receive high-fidelity missile warning and NUDET information with greater speed and accuracy than ever before.”
Through integrated processing of satellite sensor data on the ground, S2E2 provides real-time threat detection capabilities that are vital for immediate national security decisions during missile or nuclear incidents. The system supports broader national defense operations by maintaining rapid-response readiness in a dynamic threat landscape.
“Space and Cyber operators across the service responsible for fielding S2E2 are distinctly capable, well-trained, and combat-ready in five discrete mission areas; committed to providing lethal, real-world effects to combatant commands in support of critical national defense priorities,” stated 1st Lt. Nathaniel Hatfield, mission officer in charge at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado.
S2E2 also enhances situational awareness within the U.S. Nuclear Command and Control (NC2) framework. It provides early missile warning to U.S. and allied forces and incorporates GPS-based NUDET detection for attack attribution and re-strike coordination.
The system integrates into several high-level national security frameworks, including the Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment System, critical nodes designated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the broader Nuclear Command and Control System.
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