What is the Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD program?

SHIELD is a 10-year contract vehicle designed to prequalify over a thousand companies for future homeland missile defense modernization efforts.

Are the SHIELD contract awards related to the Golden Dome initiative?

The Missile Defense Agency states that SHIELD awards are not an early indicator of requirements for Golden Dome or any other specific project.

How does the SHIELD contract vehicle work?

SHIELD establishes terms for future work, allowing the MDA to compete task orders among prequalified companies as specific requirements arise.

Home / War and Conflict / MDA's SHIELD Contract: A Signal or a Diversion for Golden Dome?

MDA's SHIELD Contract: A Signal or a Diversion for Golden Dome?

4 Dec

•

Summary

MDA awarded contracts to 1,014 companies for the SHIELD vehicle.
SHIELD is a 10-year contract vehicle with a $151 million ceiling.
Awards do not signify firm requirements for Golden Dome or other projects.

MDA's SHIELD Contract: A Signal or a Diversion for Golden Dome?

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) recently announced awards to 1,014 companies for its Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) program. This 10-year, $151 million contract vehicle aims to establish a broad base of prequalified suppliers for future homeland missile defense modernization. The agency emphasized that these initial awards do not commit government funds or signify specific future requirements.

This large vendor pool has drawn industry attention due to ongoing design work for the Golden Dome initiative, a significant missile defense architecture project. While the MDA is leading efforts, details on Golden Dome's acquisition structure remain scarce, leading some to speculate about SHIELD's potential role. An MDA spokesperson clarified that SHIELD awards are not tied to any firm requirements, including Golden Dome.