MDA awards $75M to Long Wall for low-cost, midcourse interceptor testing

Artist's depiction of Long Wall's Cyclops low cost interceptor (Long Wall)

WASHINGTON — The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded California-based startup Long Wall $75 million to complete testing of its self-funded Cyclops low-cost interceptor designed to strike enemy missiles midway through their flight, the company announced today.

“I think it’s a first of its kind award in long-range missile defense, and a substantive commitment,” Long Wall Founder Dan Piedmont told Breaking Defense.

Long Wall officially was established in February 2025 as a rebranding of the former launch firm ABL Space Systems , with a narrow focus on missile defense.

The company unveiled the liquid-fueled Cyclops in December 2025, touting it as the first exo-atmospheric interceptor designed to be mass produced. Long Wall’s website explains that the interceptor can fit in a shipping container, and thus be launched either from the ground or from a sea-based platform. In addition, the company stresses it is largely using commercial off-the-shelf components and technology, including 3D printing, in Cyclops production.

According to the press release, the company over the past two years has invested its own capital in developing the interceptor and will continue to do so as part of the MDA contract.

“Throughout the period of performance, Long Wall will invest an additional $75 million at private expense to continue Cyclops design and development,” the release said.

The company referred a question about the duration of the contract to MDA, which did not respond by press time to a query from Breaking Defense.

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While the Cyclops is a midcourse interceptor like the currently deployed Ground-Based Interceptor built by Northrop Grumman, MDA also is exploring low-cost options for destroying enemy missiles after they have reentered the atmosphere and are closer to their targets. The agency in August awarded X-Bow Systems a contract work almost $11 million to flight test its solid fuel low-cost interceptor as a potential alternative to the Army’s arsenal of Patriot missiles.

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艺术家描绘的长墙公司“独眼巨人”低成本拦截器（长墙公司）

华盛顿——导弹防御局 (MDA) 已向总部位于加利福尼亚州的初创公司 Long Wall 授予 7500 万美元，用于完成其自筹资金研发的“独眼巨人”低成本拦截器的测试。该拦截器旨在击落飞行途中的敌方导弹。该公司今天宣布了这一消息。

“我认为这是远程导弹防御领域首个此类奖项，也是一项实质性的承诺，”长墙导弹防御系统创始人丹·皮埃蒙特告诉《防务新闻》。

Long Wall 于 2025 年 2 月正式成立，是前发射公司 ABL Space Systems 的品牌重塑，专注于导弹防御。

该公司于2025年12月发布了液态燃料的“独眼巨人”拦截器，并称其为首款旨在量产的外大气层拦截器。长墙公司网站解释说，该拦截器可以装入运输集装箱，因此既可从地面发射，也可从海上平台发射。此外，该公司强调，“独眼巨人”的生产主要采用商用现成组件和技术，包括3D打印技术。

根据新闻稿，该公司在过去两年中投入自有资金开发拦截器，并将继续按照 MDA 合同进行开发。

新闻稿称：“在演出期间，长城公司将自费追加 7500 万美元，继续进行独眼巨人号的设计和开发。”

该公司将有关合同期限的问题转给了MDA，但截至发稿时，MDA尚未回复Breaking Defense的询问。

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虽然“独眼巨人”导弹与目前部署的由诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司制造的陆基拦截器一样，都属于中段拦截器，但导弹防御局（MDA）也在探索低成本方案，用于在敌方导弹重返大气层、接近目标后将其摧毁。今年8月，该机构授予X-Bow系统公司一份价值近1100万美元的合同，用于飞行测试其固体燃料低成本拦截器，以期替代陆军现有的“爱国者”导弹。

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