According to the notice published on 7 December, the prototype work will focus solely on kinetic solutions rather than non-kinetic directed-energy systems. Proposal submissions are required by 19 December, and no further technical details were provided in the announcement.
Space-based interceptors are considered one of the most technically demanding components of Golden Dome, which is intended to defend the United States against a full spectrum of missile threats. In November, the Space Force awarded its first contracts for boost-phase interceptor prototypes, with Golden Dome Director Gen. Michael Guetlein stating on 6 December that the service had issued “18 contracts using Other Transaction Authorities” for that effort.
Separately, the Missile Defense Agency named more than 1,000 eligible companies on 2 December to compete for its SHIELD initiative, which will issue task orders for prototyping and experimentation linked to Golden Dome. While the concept has roots in earlier strategic missile defence initiatives such as “Brilliant Pebbles” and the Strategic Defense Initiative, programme leaders say the technology still requires further development and scaling.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Gen. Guetlein said affordability and scale remain the primary barriers to deployment. He stated: “When we start talking about things like space-based interceptor, I’ve got to switch that equation on its head. I’ve got to have high magazine depth, low cost per shot. How do I do that? We’re going to have to tap into industry innovation and bring it to bear to solve those problems.”
Former President Donald Trump has publicly estimated the programme will cost $175 billion over the next three years, though external assessments suggest the final cost could be significantly higher. A September report from the American Enterprise Institute estimated the 20-year expense could range from $252 billion to $3.6 trillion depending on the number of systems required.
Northrop Grumman chief executive Kathy Warden told the forum that fielding viable space-based interceptors will require unified effort across government and industry. She said it will take “a whole of government and industry approach” to determine an effective design that can be deployed “aggressively” and at scale, adding: “The design has to not only be to develop a system. It has to be to develop a system that can scale and scale affordably.”
Cost pressures are also a key concern for lawmakers, according to Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska, who participated in the panel discussion. “We have to be able to know what we need and prioritize that,” she said. “And I think those decisions are becoming clearer for those of us in Congress when we work with the department and with the military and really get the information there.”
Congress has included new oversight measures in the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization bill to increase programme transparency. The compromise bill, scheduled for a House vote on 10 December, mandates an annual report detailing Golden Dome’s cost, architecture, operational plans, testing, and schedule, and requires quarterly briefings to Congress until the system becomes fully operational.
Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine.
