"Lockheed Wins Contract for Homeland Missile Defense Interceptor"

The Missile Defense Agency has chosen Lockheed Martin to proceed with the development of the Next-Generation Interceptor for homeland defense, ending the competition with Northrop and RTX. The decision comes after both teams completed the preliminary design review, with Lockheed now set to continue through the critical design review phase and subsequent testing. The Next-Generation Interceptor is intended to enhance the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system's capability to counter complex missile threats, with an initial operational capability targeted for fiscal 2028.