The US Missile Defense Agency has awarded Lockheed Martin a $407-million contract modification to continue the development of the primary missile defense system in Guam.
A Pentagon notice said that the effort will extend “engineering, development and certification for Integrated Air and Missile Defense capabilities” tied to the defense architecture in the region.
Work will be facilitated through December 2029, with activities distributed across Moorestown, New Jersey, and Guam.
Washington’s latest award increases the total contract value for the ongoing initiative from $1.5 to $1.94 billion.
At the time of the award, around $76.2 million in fiscal 2026 research and development funds and $2.6 million in procurement funding were earmarked.
Layered Architecture in Guam
Guam has become a central focus of US missile defense planning in the Indo-Pacific as concerns grow over China’s expanding arsenal of ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic weapons.
The island hosts key US military facilities, including Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam.
Its core counter-airborne system, the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (ABMD), is designed to provide all-round coverage using a layered network that combines Aegis, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense platform, and Patriot PAC-3 surface-to-air interceptors.
Similar to other integrated protective solutions, ABMD links sensors, radars, launchers, and command-and-control capabilities across multiple sites on the island.
