Slingshot Aerospace Earns $27M Space Force Contract for AI-Driven Warfare Training
WINDSOR, Colo. — On Thursday, January 15, 2026, Slingshot Aerospace announced it has been awarded a $27 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to modernize scenario training for space warfare. The agreement focuses on the integration of the company’s TALOS AI into the Space Force’s Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI) program.
Integrating AI-Native Technology into OTTI
Under the terms of the contract, Slingshot Aerospace will advance the OTTI program by merging existing training capabilities with AI-native technology. The objective is to create a digital environment that mirrors the rapidly evolving threat landscape in orbit, allowing Guardians to engage in large-scale sets and repetitions against machine-speed adversaries.
Talos, as depicted in Jason and the Argonauts (1963), was an invention of the ancient Greeks thought to have AI driven powers.
“This award marks a turning point in how the Space Force prepares for conflict in orbit,” said Tim Solms, CEO of Slingshot Aerospace. “TALOS allows the Space Force Guardians the ability to train against adaptive, AI-driven threats that behave like real adversaries — not pre-programmed scenarios. This is the dawn of AI-native space training, where human and machine intelligence work together to give mission leaders a decisive operational edge.”
Confronting Autonomous Near-Peer Threats
The U.S. Space Force is increasingly focused on the challenge posed by near-peer adversaries who are adopting autonomous space capabilities and real-time maneuver tactics. Traditional, pre-programmed training simulations are no longer sufficient to prepare operators for the complexity of modern orbital engagement. By utilizing TALOS AI, the Space Force intends to provide operators with unpredictable opponents that can simulate evolving threat tactics at machine speed.
Implementation and TALOS Testing
The Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) recently conducted tests of the TALOS system to validate its performance in high-fidelity environments. Moving forward, the Space Force expects to award additional contracts to further augment the Space Warfighting Operations Research and Development (SWORD) capabilities, of which Slingshot’s AI integration is a foundational component.
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