Space-based capabilities are critical to enabling a missile shield for America

Image: Courtesy of L3Harris Technologies.

A long-feared threat became a grim reality in April of last year when Iran attacked Israel directly for the first time in history. According to the Israeli Defense Forces, Iran launched hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles into the heart of the Jewish State. Yet, in a miraculous achievement of modern technology, nearly all of the incoming barrage was detected and intercepted by Israeli and allied forces.

Then-presidential candidate Donald Trump took note of the extraordinary performance of the air and missile defense systems that defended Israel on that day. On the campaign trail, he began articulating a vision for a similar system to protect the American homeland. And now that he’s taken office, President Trump has taken a bold step to achieve his vision and deliver on his campaign promise, signing an executive order directing the building of the Golden Dome Missile Defense Shield for America.

Our company supports President Trump in setting this important goal for our nation. As the Trusted Disruptor in the defense industry, and with a portfolio of proven capabilities in countering air and missile threats, we’re ready to assist his administration in achieving this goal. We understand what it will take to build a layered missile defense architecture to detect, track and defeat incoming threats. We also recognize the regulatory and bureaucratic roadblocks that must be overcome in order to deliver this crucial new capability for our nation at the speed of relevance.

To keep our homeland safe, we need a fundamentally new approach to missile defense – one that leverages commercial business models in defense acquisition; a layered system of space-based sensors; and a robust and resilient defense industrial base with increased capacity. America’s government, defense, science and technology leaders must embrace this new approach to deliver on this national priority.

Leveraging Commercial Business Models

Ken Bedingfield, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for L3Harris Technologies and President of Aerojet Rocketdyne.

First, we must dramatically accelerate the process to acquire and field new defense technologies. Our adversaries are moving at breakneck speed to develop hypersonic missiles and other advanced weapons designed to overcome our current defenses. Our traditional defense development cycle, often spanning many years, no longer serves us.

In a November 2024 op-ed, our CEO made the case for fully embracing commerciality in our defense acquisition system by streamlining regulations and eliminating arbitrary distinctions between commercial and non-commercial products as well as traditional and non-traditional contractors. By making commerciality the rule rather than the exception in DOD contracting, our nation will be better able to innovate and rapidly acquire the emerging technologies that are essential for building an American Golden Dome.

Industry is already showing what’s possible by adopting commercial technologies and agile development practices. At L3Harris, we provide a significant portion of our products to the U.S. military on a commercial basis, and we urge the DOD to broaden its definition of commercial products to continue enhancing the industry’s ability to deliver technology faster and at lower costs.

A Layered System of Space-based Sensors

Second, we need to reimagine space’s role in missile defense. Space-based capabilities are now central to detecting and tracking threats. The Space Force’s Low Earth Orbit Constellation exemplifies this, creating a layered defense system that can track hypersonic threats globally and provide integrated deterrence against China and Russia. The DOD should invest in low-risk and proven next-generation technology currently on-orbit, as industry has hot production lines primed to deliver. At the same time, industry must lead the way in advancing engineering technologies that deliver both kinetic and non-kinetic effects from space, adding to our existing ability to intercept missiles with air- and ground-based assets.

Hypersonic threats can travel thousands of miles in minutes. A software-based approach across existing and future missile warning and tracking systems creates a more responsive missile defense network. By integrating our own and third-party AI capabilities with our advanced, space-based sensor systems, we’re helping military operators make faster, more informed decisions across the entire kill chain.

Scaling Manufacturing Capacity

Ed Zoiss, President of Space & Airborne Systems for L3Harris Technologies.

Third, we must scale American manufacturing capacity. This means not just expanding existing facilities, but also building robust supplier networks and investing in advanced manufacturing capabilities. The goal is to match commercial production speeds while maintaining our capacity to meet the reliability demands of national defense programs. We must be ready to surge production when needed, to include satellites for space-based missile warning and tracking; propulsion for interceptor missiles; and targets for testing new sensors and interceptor capabilities.

These changes require significant investment and commitment from all stakeholders in the defense industrial base. At L3Harris, we’ve already begun this transformation, exemplified by our significant investments and scaling of our Aerojet Rocketdyne business, including new solid rocket motor production facilities we’re building in Arkansas and Virginia in partnership with the DOD.

We’re also cultivating a network of American suppliers who understand the urgency to boost our country’s interceptor missile capability. As a cornerstone of our Trusted Disruptor strategy, L3Harris regularly partners with new entrants to bring
game-changing capability to the customer at a speed not seen in decades.

In an age where threats to the homeland are evolving at an unprecedented pace, the United States faces a critical inflection point in our national security. President Trump’s recent executive order to accelerate the development of a Golden Dome for America isn’t just another defense initiative – it’s a proportionate response to a catastrophic threat.

No single entity can do this alone. This urgent national challenge demands collaboration across the defense industrial base, national laboratories and government agencies. Whether it’s advanced sensors, satellites, space launch, interceptor missiles or AI-based software to fuse threat data from different platforms and systems, every part of the national defense ecosystem – from new entrants to traditional primes – has unique capabilities that are essential to our collective success.

This is about more than modernizing our legacy defense infrastructure. It’s about protecting American citizens and our way of life.

Ken Bedingfield is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for L3Harris Technologies and President of Aerojet Rocketdyne. Ed Zoiss is President of Space & Airborne Systems at L3Harris Technologies. Both have decades of combined experience in the national defense technology ecosystem.