US EditionSpace Force Awards Golden Dome Missile Defense Contracts
The Space Force awarded multiple secret contracts under $9 million each to develop prototypes for interceptors aimed at destroying missiles minutes after launch, with tens of billions in future deals expected.
- The Space Force has awarded about a half dozen small Golden Dome contracts to Northrop Grumman, True Anomaly, Lockheed Martin and Anduril, starting a competition worth tens of billions.
- The Golden Dome initiative aims to develop space-based interceptors to destroy missiles in their boost phase, minutes after launch, as a centrepiece of U.S. Space Force missile defence plans.
- The acquisition includes a $3400 million prize pool with $125 million for first place and $40 million for fifth, plus $1.8 billion to $3.4 billion annual contracts and prototype costs of $200 million to $2 billion, industry estimates.
- Space Force said the awards were issued under Other Transaction Agreements and noted contracts under $9 million need not be publicly disclosed; a separate solicitation for kinetic midcourse interceptors will post Dec. 7.
- Conservative technical estimates show a 950‑satellite constellation is needed, but objects in low Earth orbit cycle every 90 to 120 minutes, while the Congressional Budget Office estimates costs at $542 billion versus President Donald Trump's $175 billion claim.
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25 Articles
US Space Force awards contracts to build Golden Dome missile defense prototypes
Pentagon racing to build 'American Iron Dome' with interceptors deployed in space; final production contracts could be worth tens of billions of dollars; it would place weapons in orbit to destroy threats earlier than current ground-based systems
US Space Force awards first contracts for Golden Dome interceptors: Report
The contracts also cover early design work on fire control stations that will integrate satellite data and direct interceptors toward their targets. These systems will be key in coordinating launches from space-based platforms.
Space Force's Golden Dome: The Race for Missile Defense Supremacy
The U.S. Space Force has initiated the Golden Dome program, awarding contracts for missile defense prototypes to multiple companies. The goal is to develop space-based interceptors, paving the way for lucrative future contracts. The project's success could redefine strategic defense by intercepting missiles as they enter space.
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