The U.S. Space Force has selected a dozen companies to design and demonstrate space-based interceptor prototypes for President Donald Trump‘s Golden Dome missile shield, with deliverables due by 2028.
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The Awards
Space Systems Command (SSC) announced Friday that it has issued other transaction authority (OTA) agreements — collectively valued at up to $3.2 billion — to 12 vendors over late 2025 and early 2026.
The contracts task each company with building prototype hardware for an orbital architecture capable of intercepting enemy missiles shortly after launch.
The selected firms are:
- Anduril Industries
- Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp. (NYSE:BAH)
- General Dynamics Mission Systems, a unit of General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE:GD)
- GITAI USA Inc.
- Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT)
- Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC)
- Quindar Inc.
- RTX Corp. (NYSE:RTX), parent of Raytheon
- Sci-Tec Inc.
- SpaceX
- True Anomaly Inc.
- Turion Space Corp.
Where SBIs Fit In Golden Dome
Space-based interceptors (SBIs) are a centerpiece of Trump’s Golden Dome initiative — a homeland defense network intended to neutralize ballistic, hypersonic and advanced cruise missile threats, along with other aerial weapons.
The full program carries an estimated $185 billion price tag, with an initial capability targeted for 2028 and the complete system expected by the mid-2030s.
According to Col. Bryon McClain, program executive officer for space combat power, the prototypes coming out of this round of awards are scheduled to be demonstrated and folded into the broader Golden Dome architecture by 2028.
The interceptors themselves are envisioned as a proliferated low-Earth orbit (pLEO) constellation armed with kinetic kill vehicles capable of striking missiles during the boost, midcourse and glide phases.
Funding And Oversight
The Pentagon is seeking $17.5 billion for the Golden Dome in fiscal 2027, but only $398 million is included in the base budget — the rest hinges on Congress approving another reconciliation package down the road.
The effort is being run out of a dedicated enterprise office, the Office of Golden Dome for America, led by Gen. Michael Guetlein.
Other Pentagon services and agencies are also pitching in by contributing legacy systems or funding new capabilities through their own budgets.
Technical And Acquisition Backdrop
The idea of striking missiles from orbit dates back to the 1980s, but cheaper launch costs and recent technology gains have only now made SBIs realistic.
In pre-solicitation materials issued last year, SSC floated the possibility of structuring the SBI effort as a prize-style competition, in which vendors would self-fund prototypes and compete for comparatively modest awards.
The command did not clarify whether the newly issued OTAs follow that prize model.
“Adversary capabilities are advancing rapidly, and our acquisition strategies must move even faster to counter the growing speed and maneuverability of modern missile threats,” McClain said.
“Utilizing Other Transaction Authority agreements, we attracted both traditional and non-traditional vendors, while harnessing American innovation, and ensuring continuous competition,” he added.
Photo: FoxPictures / Shutterstock
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