FY27 Missile Defense & Missile Defeat Programs and Activities

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on April 16, 2026, to review the Department of Defense's fiscal year 2027 budget request for missile defense and defeat programs. Key topics included the substantial increase in funding for missile defense research and development, with the Missile Defense Agency's budget growing to over $12.3 billion, and a $23 billion investment in missile defense interceptor production to rebuild the nation's munitions production capacity. The hearing also focused on the Golden Dome initiative, a layered homeland missile defense system with a proposed budget of over $17.5 billion, aiming to protect the U.S. from advanced missile threats. Witnesses discussed the importance of integrated multi-domain defense architectures, including space-based interceptors and ground-based systems like the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), and highlighted challenges such as industrial base capacity, affordability, and evolving adversary threats. The committee engaged in detailed discussions on procurement strategies, production acceleration, and the need for sustained congressional support to maintain and advance missile defense capabilities. Several members raised concerns about the cost, strategic effectiveness, and operational deployment timelines of these programs, emphasizing the critical role of missile defense in national security and the importance of collaboration with allies and industry partners.