Missile Warning and Defense

Space-Based Technologies

Threats to missile warning and defense assets grow by the day. In addition to rogue satellites and space debris, directed physical attacks and cyberattacks highlight the emerging risks the U.S. military must be prepared to combat.

L3Harris addresses that danger with end-to-end missile defense solutions that are responsive, resilient, affordable and quickly deployable at scale. Our advanced sensor technology finds, tracks and targets hypersonic vehicles that elude other capabilities. It adds a vital tool to the U.S. military’s multi-layered approach to eliminating danger wherever it appears.

Features and Benefits

End-to-end capabilities that support responsive space missions, including, bus, payload, engineering design, mission planning, integration, testing, launch, operations and deliverable intelligence
Secure and scalable ground infrastructure provides command and control of responsive space constellations as well as data processing
Mission-defining sensor technology provides critical missile detection with precision infrared imaging technology that can be produced at volume
Production capabilities built upon years of space mission experience but with the commercial speed of a nontraditional vendor
Experience launching reconfigurable, multi-mission, software-defined payloads at scale
Record of cost-effectively meeting right-sized performance requirements and balance lifecycle costs across an entire smallsat constellation architecture
Years of delivering essential payloads in multiple orbits to U.S. Department of Defense

Communication Solutions

L3Harris has delivered defense technology communication solutions for missile defense since the inception of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) in 1983. We currently provide the critical communication links that ensure the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) interceptors receive precise threat targeting data throughout their course into space to engage the incoming threat, and the GMD command receives complete assessments of the effectiveness of threat engagement.

L3Harris also supplies strategic SATCOM terminals via the Modernization of Enterprise Terminals (MET) program to the GMD ground sites, and provides shipboard SATCOM terminals to the Sea-based X-band Radar (SBX), both key elements of the GMD Communications Network (GCN). Our protected Anti-Scintillation Anti-Jam Wideband Netcentric System (PAAWNS) modems ensure these critical data links remain fully operational even in the presence of jamming and high altitude nuclear events.

L3Harris is implementing improved modems and system upgrades in support of the replacement GBI and KV capabilities, as well as providing 24/7 operations and sustainment support to the fielded systems to ensure that the GMD system is always on duty and ready to engage.

Multi-Layered, Multi-Domain Solutions

In an increasingly contested space environment, a multi-layered approach can significantly reduce risk along the threat-elimination chain.

Additional Resources

Press release | 07. 18. 2022

L3Harris Secures $700 Million Advanced Missile Tracking Space Development Agency Program

L3Harris Technologies has been awarded a contract to build the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 1 Tracking Layer satellite program to serve as “eyes in the sky” detecting, identifying and tracking advanced missile threats. The contract has a potential total value of $700 million.