missile defense Archives

Director of Golden Dome for America (GDA) Gen. Mike Guetlein receives a briefing on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system at a THAAD site in Dededo, Guam, July 16, 2026. Task Force Talon, composed of Soldiers from the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and the Guam National Guard, operates the THAAD missile defense system to protect the U.S. territory in the Western Pacific. The site assessment directly supports the rapid development of GDA as a next-generation, layered defense capability designed to protect and shield the Homeland against advanced ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile threats. (U.S. Navy photo by William J. Busby III)

Guetlein: Golden Dome in jeopardy due to 2027 funding uncertainty

"If [lawmakers] don’t figure it out, there is no Golden Dome because there is no funding,” Gen. Michael Guetlein said.

Aug 12, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

The DF-17 hypersonic medium range conventional ballistic missile model was exhibited at the Hangzhou Innovation Research Institute of Beihang University in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China on May 10, 2026. (Photo credit: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

MDA pursuing mobile radar to detect and track hypersonic missiles, other advanced threats

The Forward-Based Mode (FBM) Radar Next initiative aims to prototype the technology.

Aug 11, 2026 By Jon Harper

AMDT3 concept graphic (Credit: L3Harris)

SDA awards $1.75B in deals for additional Golden Dome missile tracking sats

The 36 missile warning and tracking satellites are expected to launch by the end of 2028 in support of Golden Dome.

Jul 14, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in front of a map of Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system in the Oval Office at the White House on May 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

CBO estimates Golden Dome-like missile shield could cost $1.2T over 2 decades

The newest cost projection comes from a "notional" missile defense architecture that includes systems outlined in the current plan for Golden Dome.

May 12, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office at the White House on May 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump announced his plans for the “Golden Dome,” a national ballistic and cruise missile defense system. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Space Force names 12 companies to develop Golden Dome’s space-based interceptors

Under the OTA agreements, the 12 firms will develop and demonstrate space-based interceptor prototypes by 2028.

Apr 24, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

Space Force General Michael Guetlein, speaks alongside Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) and U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on May 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump announced his plans for the “Golden Dome,” a national ballistic and cruise missile defense system. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Golden Dome budget plan gets $10B plus-up to accelerate space capabilities

“We were asked to procure some additional space capabilities. So we are at $185 billion for the objective architecture, which delivers way out into the 2035 timeframe,”…

Mar 17, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) speaks alongside U.S. General Randall Reed, USAF, Commander of the United States Transportation Command (R), during a hearing with the Senate Armed Services committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. The hearing was held to examine the posture of United States European Command and United States Transportation Command. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

NATO rewriting integrated air defense plans for the first time in decades, SACEUR says

Gen. Alex Grynkewich, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command, testified Thursday at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

Mar 12, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

A Standard Missile-3 Block IIA is fired from a Vertical Launching System on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam as part of Flight Experiment Mission-02, on December 10, 2024. (courtesy photo/released)

DIU looks to prototype affordable fire-control sensors for enhanced missile defense

The organization intends to launch selected sensor and seeker prototypes into space for a demonstration no later than two years after it contracts vendors.

Feb 4, 2026 By Mikayla Easley

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on May 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump announced his plans for the “Golden Dome,” a national missile defense system. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Golden Dome’s cyber protection must be a design choice, not an afterthought

Golden Dome risks becoming a system that works beautifully in theory but collapses when America needs it most.

Jan 28, 2026 By Jack Wilmer Lt. Gen. Charlie Moore

Northrop Grumman’s TRKT3 will build on the Tracking Layer capabilities of Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 with targeted technology enhancements, expanded coverage and increased integration including precision fire-control sensing. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

SDA awards $3.5B across 4 contracts for next phase of missile tracking satellites

The Tranche 3 tracking layer will comprise 72 satellites to provide near-continuous global coverage, with half featuring payloads able to create fire-control data.

Dec 19, 2025 By Mikayla Easley