Space Force Cancels AeroVironment SCAR Contract, Shifts to Open Competition for Satellite Antennas
The U.S. Space Force terminated AeroVironment’s roughly $1.7 billion SCAR contract for mobile satellite-control antennas after unsuccessful renegotiations, signaling a shift from a single-vendor approach to an open, commercially developed procurement. AeroVironment will recompete and adapt the BADGER design for commercial use, while the company pursues other Space & Directed Energy products amid a lower 2026 revenue outlook and a large backlog. BlueHalo (the project’s ground terminal builder) is now tied to the broader program through AeroVironment via prior acquisition, and some terms may affect long-term revenue while maintaining potential future customers for the tech.