Report to Congress on the Navy’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program

The following is the Jan. 12, 2026, Congressional Research Service report, Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress. From the Report The Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations.

BMD-capable Aegis ships operate in European waters to defend Europe from potential ballistic missile attacks from countries such as Iran, and in in the Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf to provide regional defense against potential ballistic missile attacks from countries such as China, North Korea, and Iran. The number of BMD-capable Aegis ships has been growing over time. MDA’s FY2026 budget submission sta