AeroVironment (AV) and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) have announced a strategic partnership to develop the Golden Dome for America (GDA), a next-generation limited-area defence architecture designed to counter evolving aerial threats.
The collaboration aims to align multi-domain capabilities and deliver an integrated, open-architecture air and missile defence system focused on protecting high-value U.S. infrastructure.
The GDA programme is intended to provide a last line of defence against current and emerging threats, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS), advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial platforms.
AV and SNC are building a layered defence solution capable of shielding specific sites such as bases, ships, airfields, and critical infrastructure. The system is designed to expand its coverage as new sensors and interceptors, particularly space-based assets, are brought online.
“The Trump Administration understands what has been a long-held belief within the defence industry – there is an immediate and critical need for a layered system that provides a last line of defence,” said Wahid Nawabi, AV Chairman, President and CEO. “Together, AV and SNC can rapidly provide novel and affordable defensive solutions, ensuring unmatched limited-area ‘under-dome’ protection.”
The architecture will integrate passive and active sensing, radio frequency detection, directed energy, kinetic interceptors, electronic warfare, and cyber capabilities.
These components will be aligned to address the full kill chain required to neutralise Group 1–4 UAS and other aerial threats. The system is being built on open standards to ensure interoperability and rapid scalability.
“This is an ambitious, next-generation shield designed to protect the American homeland from increasingly complex threats,” said Fatih Ozmen, SNC CEO. “Meeting that challenge demands industry ingenuity and collaboration on par with the Manhattan Project. We’re proud to bring together complementary capabilities and cutting-edge technologies with AV to make Americans safer.”
SNC’s sister company, Sierra Space, is also exploring collaborating with AV to support the space-based layer of the GDA system.
Post Image Credit: AV
