Kristen Smith
AeroVironment and SNC have formed a strategic partnership aimed at developing an integrated, open architecture air and missile defense architecture to support the Trump administration’s Golden Dome initiative, a multidomain, layered missile defense system incorporating space-based interceptors and advanced tracking technologies.
SNC said Thursday the effort will focus on building a limited-area defense architecture that will protect high-value locations such as bases, ships, airfields or critical infrastructure, with the capability to extend its reach as new sensors and interceptors are deployed to space.
Defeating Aerial Threats
The two companies will combine their multidomain capabilities and existing open architecture solutions in line with the partnership. The planned system will feature a mix of kinetic and directed energy, electronic warfare and cyber capabilities, paired with active and passive sensors to defeat threats, including Group 1-4 drones and advanced cruise missiles.
AeroVironment Chairman and CEO Wahid Nawabi described the government’s plan to develop Golden Dome as an immediate and critical need in the defense against current threats and next-generation aerial attacks from near-peer and rogue nations. “Together, AV and SNC can rapidly provide novel and affordable defensive solutions, ensuring unmatched limited area ‘under-dome’ protection for critical U.S. infrastructure,” Nawabi said.
As part of the collaboration, AeroVironment and SNC will form an industrial base team focused on providing comprehensive, layered defenses within Golden Dome. AeroVironment is also working with SNC’s sister company, Sierra Space, to explore areas of cooperation in addressing critical Golden Dome challenges.
