HII wins $151B Missile Defense Agency SHIELD IDIQ contract
HII’s Mission Technologies division secured a ceiling $151 billion IDIQ contract under the Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD program to deliver layered homeland defense solutions. The contract spans directed energy, C2 integration, cyber, microelectronics, training environments, logistics and sustainment workstreams.
1. HII Lands $151 Billion Ceiling SHIELD IDIQ Contract
On January 13, 2026, HII’s Mission Technologies division was awarded a Missile Defense Agency IDIQ contract under the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) program with a ceiling value of $151 billion. The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract spans multiple work areas, enabling rapid competition and delivery of advanced capabilities. HII plans to leverage its expertise in directed energy systems, command and control integration, microelectronics, cyber operations, spectrum management and live/virtual/constructive training environments. Andy Green, EVP of HII and president of Mission Technologies, highlighted that SHIELD will accelerate the fielding of layered homeland defense solutions with increased speed and agility, reinforcing HII’s commitment to national security and homeland protection.
2. Successful Automation of UUV Launch and Recovery Validates Sea Launcher
In Pocasset, Massachusetts, on January 13, 2026, HII demonstrated its Sea Launcher automated launch and recovery system for the REMUS autonomous underwater vehicle (UUV) aboard a ship-ready platform. Testing validated a fully autonomous end-to-end sequence using a representative REMUS configured for real-world mission conditions, mirroring proven procedures from U.S. Navy and allied deployments. The demonstration, led by Duane Fotheringham of Mission Technologies’ Unmanned Systems group, showed that automated launch and recovery reduces sailor risk, extends mission range by over 20%, and shortens mission timelines by up to 30% in contested or high-sea-state environments. HII will integrate Sea Launcher with its ROMULUS unmanned surface vessels to support multi-domain manned-unmanned teaming across U.S. and allied navies.
3. European Expansion with Portchester Facility Doubles Capacity
On January 12, 2026, HII announced the doubling in size of its unmanned systems facility in Portchester, U.K., establishing a new European hub for its Mission Technologies division. The expanded site will support the U.K. Royal Navy and European partners operating REMUS UUVs by providing operational, technical and logistics support for electronic warfare, C5ISR, artificial intelligence, and synthetic training. It will also prepare the region for deployment of HII’s ROMULUS autonomous surface vessels, scheduled for availability later this year. Staffed by U.K. personnel, the facility will create new jobs, enhance supplier engagement and coordinate with HII’s global engineering, production and sustainment teams, strengthening HII’s long-term presence in Europe.