Today’s battlefield is no longer a place of linear progression. 

The threat landscape is defined by autonomous systems, multi-axis attacks and hypersonic glide vehicles that move at speeds of Mach-5 or faster. In this environment, the greatest challenge isn’t just building a better interceptor, it’s connecting sensors, shooters and command nodes quick enough to act.

Lockheed Martin is meeting this urgent need by weaving a seamless, layered fabric of defense tools across all domains — space, air, land and sea. This strategic effort merges these systems into a single, integrated shield that outpaces the speed of the threat.

“We don’t just build individual platforms, we help orchestrate an integrated air-and-missile-defense (IAMD) architecture from Space to Seabed, built to protect today, while outpacing the threats of tomorrow,” said Paul Pfahler, Sr. Manager for Strategy and Business Development. 

Higher Ground

Forming the shield begins in the stars. Our missile warning and tracking systems – Space Based-Infrared System (SBIRS), Transport and Tracking Layer vehicles and soon, Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (Next-Gen OPIR GEO) satellites – operate across multiple orbits beyond Earth’s atmosphere, serving as an always-on watchtower. 

Leveraging generations of experience in wide field of view constellations, Lockheed Martin provides continuous early-launch detection and real-time tracking. This data, brought down from space itself, is streamlined to networks on the ground, ensuring that the kill-chain begins the moment a threat is detected. 

That persistent awareness converges on the defensive layer, where the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) sits as the backbone of the nation’s homeland defense architecture. Designed to counter long-range ballistic missile threats, NGI pairs advanced discrimination capabilities with increased reliability and an adaptive nature, enabling it to engage targets with greater precision and confidence. 

The Flying Sensor

Amidst the clouds, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II does more than dominate the skies. Serving as a sophisticated mobile ISR platform, its Distributed Aperture System (DAS), Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) and advanced data fusion software turn every cockpit into a command center. 

By combining Space-sourced cues with its own onboard detection, the F-35 bridges the gap between strategic awareness and tactical strike at “lightning” pace. 

Quiet Precision

Not all sensors need to shout. 

Technologies like IRST21® and TacIRST provide high-resolution infrared tracking without emitting detectable signatures. 

These passive sensors allow operators to discriminate targets in highly contested domains and radar-denied environments. Fused with fire control solutions, passive sensing shortens the loop of “detect, track, engage,” proving that in modern defense, silent awareness can be as decisive as interception. 

Orchestrating the Response

The cornerstone of the integrated shield lies within Lockheed Martin’s Multi-Domain Radar-Ready and advanced Battle Management Command and Control capabilities. Think of it as a “system of systems.”

These platforms create a joint operational picture across services and allied forces by aggregating sensor streams, prioritizing threats and circulating actionable cues. AI analytics are added to create a hierarchy of threats, allowing operators to turn information into decisions at the speed of conflict.

Building the Shield

The true power of an integrated shield is synergy. It is no longer enough for systems to work in isolation, because the shield is only as strong as the speed at which its assets communicate. 

When a threat occurs, the sequence happens in an instant: 

• Space-based sensors identify the launch, and provide a cue 

• The F-35 receives the data, using stealth and advanced optics to track the threat

• Passive sensor systems like IRST21 silently lock on, providing precision without alerting any adversaries

• Advanced Battle Management Command and Control capabilities orchestrate the entire flow, selecting the best course to engage and eliminate the threat with advanced hit to kill interceptors like the PAC-3 MSE and THAAD. 

From a satellite’s first blink to intercepting an enemy threat, Lockheed Martin has engaged and unified command into a cohesive system to protect the homeland.