NORAD/NORTHCOM Urge Faster Buildout of Domain Awareness, Space Sensors for Homeland Missile Defense
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Summary
General Guillot told senators that an effective homeland missile-defense architecture requires a layered sensor grid from seabed to space and faster fielding of detection and intercept systems, and warned that spectrum access and industrial capacity are limiting factors.
General Gregory Guillot, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), told the Senate Armed Services Committee that homeland missile defense must start with improved detection: a layered ‘‘domain awareness’’ network from seabed to space.
Why it matters: Witnesses and senators framed the issue as urgent as competitors field longer-range and maneuverable weapons, including hypersonic missiles. Committee members pressed for accelerated procurement of space-based tracking sensors, new radars and other layered assets and asked whether the defense industrial base and spectrum authorities are positioned to deliver.
Guillot said the priority is sensing: seabed, ground, airborne and space sensors that can detect threats at longer ranges and cue defeat mechanisms. He cited existing and proposed capabilities including airborne moving-target indicator satellites, over-the-horizon radars, upgraded E-7 (Wedgetail) airborne platforms and integrated undersea surveillance. On hypersonics, Guillot described a need for space-based sensors able to track maneuvering, high-speed trajectories and for these capabilities ‘‘immediately.’’
Committee members raised spectrum concerns: Guillot told senators that uninterrupted access to needed spectrum is necessary to employ space-based and other sensors and warned that spectrum auctions or competing commercial users could degrade detection performance. He also said industry cooperation and moving acquisition timelines ‘‘left’’ to field systems more quickly are essential.
On partnerships and geography, senators and the commander discussed Canadian participation in NORAD modernization and potential collaboration on domain awareness. Guillot welcomed Canadian involvement and noted early improvements in Canadian radar and aircraft capabilities.
Ending: Guillot committed to work with the committee on priorities and to accelerate fielding where feasible. Senators said they would pursue legislative and budgetary tools to speed procurement and to protect spectrum for homeland defense systems.