U.S. Missile Defense Agency Archives

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)

MDA taps over 1,000 vendors for Golden Dome contract opportunities

The vendors were tapped as part of the first phase of MDA’s contracting vehicle known as the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD).

3 days ago By Mikayla Easley

An upgraded Ground Based Interceptor with a Capability Enhanced-II Block 1 Exo-Atmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) is launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, during Flight Test Ground-based Midcourse Defense Weapon System-12, or FTG-12, on December 11, 2023. (Photo by Ryan Keith)

Missile Defense Agency looking to upgrade algorithms to improve object classification

MDA released a new RFI to inform the next iteration of its Advanced Object Classification initiative.

Oct 8, 2025 By Jon Harper

SDA solicits industry studies on potential capabilities for Trump’s Iron Dome for America

The Space Development Agency is interested in custody layer, HBTSS and other capabilities for the planned missile defense architecture.

Feb 13, 2025 By Mikayla Easley

MDA taps Northrop Grumman to move forward in Glide Phase Interceptor program

The Glide Phase Interceptor is being designed to destroy enemy hypersonic missile threats.

Sep 25, 2024 By Mikayla Easley

A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron is undergoes pre-flight procedures at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 8, 2020. The aircraft conducted a captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2 at the Point Mugu Sea Range off the Southern California coast. (Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem)

MDA director on hypersonics testing: ‘We need to get into a faster clip’

Lt. Gen. Heath Collins noted that with other missile programs “you may launch dozens of dozens of weapons. But on the hypersonic side, we just have not…

Jun 6, 2024 By Mikayla Easley

Illustration of a hypersonic missile (Getty Images)

Report: Multi-orbit sensing architectures optimal for hypersonic missile defense

A new report from CSIS is intended to be a "cheat sheet" for policy makers weighing current and future sensor architecture designs.

Dec 18, 2023 By Mikayla Easley

A medium range ballistic missile target is launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, as part of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s Flight Test Aegis Weapon System 31 Event 1a (FTM-31 E1a), held on March 30, 2023 in cooperation with the U.S. Navy. (MDA photo)

DOD plans to award Lockheed Martin $4.1B non-competitive contract to continue support of missile defense system

The Missile Defense Agency will award the contract to Lockheed on a sole-source basis because it is the only contractor with the technical knowledge of the system…

Apr 13, 2023 By Billy Mitchell

Vice Adm. Jon Hill testifies at a House Armed Services Committee hearing March 12, 2020.

MDA director considering new directed energy, electronic warfare capabilities for future missile defense

Vice Adm. Jon Hill mentioned directed energy technologies like high-power continuous wave lasers, a pulsed laser or high-powered microwaves as options the MDA could explore.

Mar 24, 2023 By Mikayla Easley

Capt. Emily Neumann, assigned to 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, participates in a missile defense exercise aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh, Feb. 24, 2015. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman David Flewellyn/Released)

Navy looking to prototype ‘unique’ optical sensor designed to detect incoming hypersonic cruise missiles

The TORCH program aims to develop and demonstrate advanced optical system design for the detection, identification and tracking of hypersonic cruise missiles.

Feb 7, 2023 By Jon Harper

Missile Defense Agency taps AI and machine learning to prepare for next-gen threats

Artificial intelligence software company C3 AI on Tuesday revealed what the first three orders in its new five-year, $500 million production-Other Transaction agreement with the Missile Defense…

Dec 14, 2022 By Brandi Vincent