From National Defense Strategy plans to acquisition overhaul findings: 2026 preview
The coming 12 months could shake up where US troops are positioned and new details about the Golden Dome initiative.
MDA adds 1,086 firms to its SHIELD pool for Golden Dome-related tech
With the new awards, a total of 2,100 firms have been qualified by the Missile Defense Agency to compete for future SHIELD tech development contracts.
10 Breaking Defense op-eds that defined 2025
It's been a whirlwind of a year — and the defense establishment has plenty of thoughts on how it's unfolded and what might come next.
New Trump space policy sets 2028 deadline for Moon base, Golden Dome prototype
The policy is light on language regarding security issues — with the most specific provision reiterating Trump's Golden Dome push for a comprehensive air and missile defense shield.
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Golden Dome’s industrial call to arms could match the Manhattan Project
The nationwide missile shield will test industry’s ability to innovate fast and integrate complex systems without failure.
Pentagon acquisition chief pledges new ‘program czars’ will cut red tape, not add to it
Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey outlined key steps taken since an early November mandate to move out on acquisition reform.
Poll finds increasing support for international engagement, Golden Dome spending
“Majorities want the United States to take the lead in international affairs, believe American military superiority is essential, and support a force sized to deter and, if necessary, win conflicts against more than one major adversary at a time,” said a summary of the annual Ronald Reagan Institute poll.
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Keeping sensitive information safe in a new AI era
Why edge and endpoint security can’t be an afterthought.
Inside Honeywell’s business strategy for Golden Dome
In this fireside chat, Honeywell Aerospace executive Matthew Milas tells Breaking Defense how the firm is positioning itself in hopes of joining one of the biggest defense projects in a generation.
MDA picks over 1,000 initial winners for Golden Dome contracting vehicle
In total, the agency is providing awards to 1,014 "qualifying offerors" for the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) program, under deals that could eventually total $151 billion over 10 years.
Golden Dome: Space Force awards first space-based interceptor prototype contracts
The Space Force did not identify the winners, saying their names are "protected by enhanced security measures."
Golden Dome implementation plan under review, Congress may get look this week
“I predict that what you're going to see is something that is far more… limited, both in terms of the number of threats that are feasibly able to be stopped, and also in terms of the area that [can be] defended against,” said Tom Karako with CSIS.
Air Force cyber resilience in focus
Cyber resilience has become a frontline mission for the US military. Breaking Defense’s new eBook rounds up key reporting from the 2025 Alamo ACE conference with the latest developments in cyber offense and defense.
Golden Dome faces challenges of size, scope and scale from every angle
Defending a country the size of the US from attacks such as hypersonics and drones creates major challenges.
Golden Dome: Loosen the gag order, and start talking
If the Pentagon does not start explaining Golden Dome, it will never be built, says Tom Karako of CSIS.
Golden Dome SBIs will need to be defended from adversary attack: Experts
The satellites will need to be defended "not only from adversary kinetic or local orbital issues, but also from cyber attacks, electronic jamming and laser attacks," said Patrick Binning, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.
Guam is America’s Pacific shield — and must be tied into Golden Dome
The implementation plan for Golden Dome is due to be released in mid-November, and it is imperative protection for Guam is in there, writes Randy Schriver in this op-ed.