Miles Jamison 
Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space, has emphasized the urgent need for rapid delivery and innovation in space systems to support Golden Dome for America, a layered homeland defense architecture.
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Evolving Threats Drive Urgency in Space Innovation
Lightfoot said Monday he spoke at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference, highlighting the shift in global threat environment, with space becoming a contested domain and adversaries gaining long-range capabilities that challenge the U.S.’s interior distance advantage. The three-time Wash100 Award winner stressed the need for swift investment in the Golden Dome for America architecture and other space-based assets to counter emerging threats.
Leveraging Existing Capabilities and Production
Lightfoot noted that leveraging existing or adaptable capabilities like Lockheed Martin’s GPS IIIF satellite system within the larger architecture can accelerate delivery. To meet demand, Lockheed is rapidly scaling production through its Small Satellite Processing & Delivery Center, focusing on quickly getting essential equipment to warfighters with a risk-aware approach that prioritizes rapid deployment over perfection.
Fostering Collaboration to Boost Resilience
The GovCon expert also pinpointed the significance of collaboration across industry, agencies, and services to enhance resilience. Lightfoot said several components of the Golden Dome are already active, but team members must combine their unique strengths to accelerate its completion.
Balancing Speed and Risk
Lightfoot also emphasized acknowledging potential administrative delays and proactively tackling these challenges to accelerate the acquisition process.
