Missile Defense Archives - Defense Daily

Stratolaunch Announces Hypersonic Flight Test With Missile Defense Agency

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 21 May 2026 20:51:31 +0000

Stratolaunch on Thursday said that it successfully conducted a hypersonic flight test in March for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), launching its liquid engine-powered Talon-A3 reusable flight vehicle from a […]

Golden Dome Head Pushes Back on CBO Estimate; Sen. Sheehy Agrees On Trillion Dollar Scale

Rich Abott — Thu, 14 May 2026 21:43:01 +0000

The head of the Golden Dome program on May 14 strongly disagreed with a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate that a system along the lines of President Donald Trump’s […]

Space Force Soliciting Industry Prototypes For $783 Million Program To Upgrade Ground-Based Radars

Frank Wolfe — Thu, 14 May 2026 21:36:49 +0000

The Space Force’s fiscal 2027 future years defense plan includes $783 million to upgrade eight ground-based radars in collaboration with the Missile Defense Agency, including nearly $129 million in fiscal […]

CBO Estimates Golden Dome With Boost-Phase Space Interceptors At $1.2 Trillion

Rich Abott — Wed, 13 May 2026 17:57:46 +0000

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates a potential national missile defense system, along the lines of the Golden Dome’s initially stated objectives, would cost about $1.2 trillion FY 2026 dollars […]

Anduril Outlines Team For Space-Based Interceptors Program

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 05 May 2026 21:09:21 +0000

Anduril Industries on Tuesday named its teammates that are helping it prototype technologies for the Space-Based Interceptor (SBI) program that is part of the Golden Dome homeland missile defense initiative. […]

MDA Director Says NGI On Track To Close Design Phase This Year

Rich Abott — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:37:44 +0000

The director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on Monday told senators the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program is on track to complete the design phase by the end of […]

Space Force Awards $3.2 Billion To 12 Companies For Space-Based Interceptor Work

Rich Abott — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:49:52 +0000

The Space Force last announced 12 companies have won contracts totaling up to $3.2 billion to prototype technologies for Space-based Interceptors in support of the Golden Dome initiative. Space Force’s […]

MDA Says GPI To Deliver Four Years Faster After Previous Delays

Rich Abott — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:13:58 +0000

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director this week told lawmakers that following the receipt of reconciliation funding, they are pushing to get the first counter-hypersonic Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) delivered […]

RTX Signs $3.7 Billion Contract With Ukraine For Patriot GEM-T Interceptors

Rich Abott — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:54:53 +0000

RTX’s [RTX] Raytheon business on Tuesday announced it signed a $3.7 billion contract to supply Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) airborne threat interceptors to Ukraine as a […]

Lockheed Martin Says $4.8 Billion Army PAC-3 MSE Award Will Accelerate Production

Rich Abott — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:33:48 +0000

A day after the Army on April 9 awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a $4.76 billion contract to produce an unspecified number of Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, […]

Department Of Air Force Requests $457 Million More For Counterspace Systems Procurement

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:46:47 +0000

The Space Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request includes more than $459 million for counterspace systems, a more than $457 million increase from the amount appropriated by Congress last year. The […]

Pentagon More Than Doubles Funding For Missile Defense Interceptors In 2027 Request

Rich Abott — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 21:56:13 +0000

The Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget request is seeking billions of dollars more to procure missile defense interceptors, according to documents published Friday. The Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) procurement budget […]

Pentagon, Boeing Announce Seven-Year Framework To Triple PAC-3 Seeker Production

Matthew Beinart — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:15:51 +0000

The Pentagon and Boeing [BA] announced Wednesday they have agreed on a new framework to triple production of seekers for Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 interceptors over the next seven years. […]

SpaceX Awarded Task Order For SDA-4 Mission

Frank Wolfe — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:05:15 +0000

SpaceX has received a more than $178 million task order from U.S. Space Force’s Systems Command (SSC) for two National Security Space Launch Phase 3, Lane 1 launches from Cape […]

Strikes On AWACS And KC-135s At Prince Sultan Put Spotlight On Base Defense

Frank Wolfe — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:50:49 +0000

Last July at the inaugural LANDEURO conference in Wiesebaden, Germany, Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, now the commander of Ukraine’s unmanned forces, told the audience that he had recently visited a NATO […]

U.S. And Japan Conduct First SPY-7 ASEV Live Tracking Test

Rich Abott — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 18:52:42 +0000

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on Friday announced it and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) successfully conducted the first live target tracking exercise with the SPY-7 radar the Japanese […]

Army Plans To Take Over THAAD Program In 2027

Rich Abott — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:45:20 +0000

A top Army acquisition official this week said the Army is planning to assume control over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system by next year. While […]

State Department Okays $17 Billion In FMS Deals For Middle East Partners

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:48:12 +0000

Amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran, the U.S. State Department on Thursday approved nearly $17 billion in potential arms deals with Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, […]

MDA Awards $8.41 Billion Ceiling Increase For RTX’s SM-3 Contract

Matthew Beinart — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 21:40:30 +0000

The Missile Defense Agency on Wednesday awarded an $8.41 billion ceiling increase to RTX [RTX] for Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block missile variants. The deal increases RTX’s current contract to build […]

Guetlein Names Golden Dome C2 Primes, Adds $10 Billion To Total Cost

Rich Abott — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:48:59 +0000

The director of the Golden Dome program Tuesday named the three prime contractors working on the Golden Dome command and control (C2) “glue layer” and revealed the program’s expected total […]

RTX Wins $267 Million To Restart SM-3 IB Line, Deliver 23 Interceptors

Rich Abott — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 21:56:55 +0000

While DoD had planned to end procurement of the Standard Missile-3 Block IB (SM-3 IB), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded RTX [RTX] a $267 million contract modification on March […]

Anduril Acquiring Space Domain Awareness, Missile Defense Software Company ExoAnalytic Solutions

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:16:06 +0000

Anduril Industries on Wednesday said it has agreed to acquire ExoAnalytic Solutions, a small business that brings a global network of more than 400 consumer-grade telescopes for space domain awareness […]

L3Harris Wins $400 Million Contract For THAAD Motors and LDACS

Rich Abott — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 22:38:11 +0000

L3Harris Technologies [LHX] on Monday announced it received a new $400 million contract to produce more solid rocket boost motors (SRBMs) and Liquid Divert and Attitude Control Systems (LDACS) for […]

THAAD Will Integrate Into IBCS Faster And Cheaper Than DoD Planned, Northrop Grumman Says

Rich Abott — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:22:43 +0000

Northrop Grumman [NOC] officials last week confirmed the integration of the Lockheed Martin [LMT] Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system into its Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) is proceeding […]

Golden Dome Official Highlights Importance Of Affordability, Acquisition Reform

Rich Abott — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:20:26 +0000

A lead Defense Department official for the Golden Dome program this week argued that while technology for homeland missile defense effort is generally all proven out, the limiting factor is […]

Northrop Grumman Eyes Quadrupling IBCS Production, Maps Out More Mobility And Adding AI

Rich Abott — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:35:59 +0000

Northrop Grumman [NOC] expects to ultimately increase the production rate for the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) by four fold due to rising domestic and international interest in the platform […]

DoD Inspector General Launches Audit Into SM-3 IIA

Rich Abott — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:24:09 +0000

The Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General (OIG) last week announced it has opened an audit of the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) management of the RTX [RTX] Standard […]

Golden Dome Director Outlines Priorities Through 2027

Rich Abott — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:45:19 +0000

The director for the Pentagon’s Golden Dome program last week gave industry another peak into his priorities through next year and elaborated on why they have been so secretive about […]

DoD Names Golden Dome Deputy

Rich Abott — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:52:35 +0000

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Thursday announced the White House has nominated Army Maj. Gen. Brian Gibson to be appointed as lieutenant general and assigned as military deputy to […]

Golden Dome Budget Data Still Lacking, Impeding Oversight, Appropriators Say

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 22:31:29 +0000

The Trump administration has yet to provide Congress with budgetary and other information about the Golden Dome homeland missile defense program as directed, impairing congressional oversight of the multi-billion dollar […]

Duffey: “We’re Picking Speed” In $1 Billion Investment In L3Harris SRM Spin-Off

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:09:26 +0000

L3Harris Technologies [LHX] is to spin off its newly created missile solutions business as a new company with a $1 billion infusion from the Pentagon’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment […]

Northrop Grumman Says It’s Received Navy Contract for SSRM After Beating Anduril

Frank Wolfe — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:33:25 +0000

Northrop Grumman [NOC] said on Wednesday that it has received a more than $94 million award from the U.S. Navy to develop and qualify the 21-inch Second Stage Rocket Motor […]

New PAC-3 Agreement Possible With Guaranteed Cash Flows And Inflation Markers, Officials Say

Rich Abott — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 22:43:46 +0000

Defense Department and Lockheed Martin [LMT] officials confirmed specific measures around cash flows and accounting for inflation are key to a new framework agreement that aims to more than triple […]

DoD and Lockheed Martin Sign Framework Agreement To More Than Triple PAC-3 MSE Production

Rich Abott — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:53:37 +0000

The Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin [LMT] on Tuesday announced a new seven year-long framework agreement aimed at pushing annual production of the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 Missile Segment […]

JIATF-401 Chief Says U.S. Counter-Drone Framework Should Tie Into Golden Dome

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 21:48:19 +0000

A future integrated network of counter-drone capabilities designed to protect U.S. military installations and critical infrastructure should also work as part of the larger envisioned Golden Dome homeland missile defense […]

MDA Says It Now Has Made 2,100 Awards Under SHIELD

Frank Wolfe — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 22:43:48 +0000

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said on Thursday that it has made another 1,086 awards under the up to $151 billion Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) contract to […]

Kelly Says SHIPS Act Moving Forward, Skeptical Of Golden Dome SBIs

Rich Abott — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:51:08 +0000

A key backer of the SHIPS for America Act (S. 1541) this week argued it is not bogged down in committee any longer and also expressed strong skepticism of spending […]

Space Force Seeks Prototype Proposals For Space Based Kinetic Midcourse Interceptors

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:11:11 +0000

The Space Force on Sunday evening as expected posted the Request for Prototype Proposal for Space Based Interceptors (SBI) to take out ballistic missiles in the midcourse phase of flight. […]

Muon Space Nabs SBIR Award To Mature Imaging Payload For Missile Warning And Tracking

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:05:08 +0000

Muon Space has received a $1.9 research and prototyping contract from the Space Force’s innovation arm to develop a variant of its Quickbeam multispectral electro-optical and infrared imaging payload to […]

Golden Dome Chief Confirms Some Operational Capability By 2028; Culture Bigger Barrier Than Technical Challenges

Rich Abott — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 22:39:31 +0000

The head of the Golden Dome initiative last weekend confirmed that while they still plan to deliver an “operational capability” to defend against advanced threats by 2028, cultural challenges are […]

MDA Awards First SHIELD Golden Dome Contract Vehicle To Over 1,000 Offerors

Rich Abott — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 22:55:12 +0000

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) included over 1,000 winning offerors able to compete under the first in a series of awards for the multiple award Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered […]

Space Force Prepares Golden Dome Solicitation For Midcourse Interceptors

Rich Abott — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:18:16 +0000

The U.S. Space Force is to release a Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) for what experts have said is the most feasible version of space-based missile defense–midcourse kinetic intercept. Space […]

Rocket Lab Launches HASTE Vehicle With MDA And DIU Payloads

Rich Abott — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 22:12:01 +0000

Rocket Lab [RKLB] on Tuesday announced the successful launch of a suborbital mission using its HASTE launch vehicle with missile defense technology payloads operating for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) […]

Guam Defense Still Connecting Dots In Order Of Systems, Official Says

Rich Abott — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 22:24:42 +0000

An Army official Monday said that while the Guam Defense System (GDS) is progressing and the strategy aligns with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent reform push, there is not yet […]

Nominee To Lead DoD Mission Capabilities Wants More Experimentation Events

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 18:57:01 +0000

More experimentation to find and fix system problems early would boost the Defense Department’s goal of speeding the delivery of new capabilities to military forces in the field, the nominee […]

Avio Plans More Than $400 Million Spend, Much of It on U.S. SRM Production

Frank Wolfe — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:46:11 +0000

Shareholders in Italy’s Avio SpA have approved the company’s $465 million 10-year investment plan targeted at building solid rocket motors (SRMs) for DoD missiles and munitions. “The core of Avio’s […]

Northrop Grumman And LIG Nex1 To Collaborate On Korean Air And Missile Defense, May Integrate IBCS

Rich Abott — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 21:06:12 +0000

Northrop Grumman [NOC] and South Korean aerospace and arms manufacturer LIG Nex1 signed a memorandum of Understanding this week to collaborate on air and missile defense capabilities for South Korea. […]

Apex Planning On-Orbit Demonstration Of Commercially Developed Space Based Interceptor Next June

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:50:46 +0000

Satellite bus designer and manufacturer Apex next summer plans to demonstrate commercially-developed space-based interceptor (SBI) technology to reduce risk for a key component of the Trump administration’s Golden Dome homeland […]

RTX Expanding Production Facility For LTAMDS Radar

Rich Abott — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 21:27:43 +0000

RTX’s [RTX] Raytheon division this week announced it recently broke ground on a new 23,ooo square-foot expansion of its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) production facility in […]

Glass “Half Full” To Revive Canceled Next-Gen Patriot Interceptor, Army Official Says

Rich Abott — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:35:49 +0000

An Army official this week said it looks like the Army will move forward on some aspects of the previously canceled Lower-Tier Future Interceptor (LTFI) program it had been pursuing […]