This article is based on an official press release and campaign materials from Lockheed Martin, along with official Department of War announcements.

Lockheed Martin Unveils “Seconds to Act” Strategy to Support “Golden Dome” Initiative

On February 23, 2026, Lockheed Martin formally launched its “Seconds to Act” campaign, a strategic initiative designed to position the aerospace giant as the primary architect of the United States’ new “Golden Dome” missile defense shield. The announcement comes amidst a significant restructuring of national defense priorities, following the renaming of the Department of Defense to the Department of War (DoW) and the implementation of aggressive new acquisition strategies.

The central premise of the “Seconds to Act” doctrine is that modern hypersonic and autonomous threats leave defenders with insufficient time for human-speed decision-making. According to Lockheed Martin, the solution lies in a fully Integrated Air-and-Missile-Defense (IAMD) architecture that utilizes AI to connect assets across space, air, land, and sea instantly.

This corporate strategy aligns directly with the federal government’s “Golden Dome” initiative, established via Executive Order in early 2025 to create a comprehensive multi-layer shield over the continental United States.

The Integrated Shield: Connecting Domains

Lockheed Martin describes the new defense architecture as a “seamless, layered fabric.” Unlike legacy systems where platforms operated in isolation, the “Seconds to Act” framework relies on the immediate fusion of data from “sensors, shooters, and command nodes.”

According to campaign materials released by the company, the shield operates across four distinct domains:

• Space (The Watchtower): Utilizing SBIRS and Next-Gen OPIR satellites for “always-on” early warning, alongside a new transport layer to track hypersonic glide vehicles.
• Air (The Mobile Sensor): Re-characterizing the F-35 Lightning II not merely as a fighter jet, but as a forward-deployed ISR platform that feeds targeting data into the wider network.
• Land (The Shield): Deploying the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) for homeland defense against ICBMs, supported by THAAD and PAC-3 systems for regional threats.
• Command (The Brain): Leveraging JADC2 and AI analytics to automate the “sensor-to-shooter” loop, allowing for engagement decisions to be made in seconds.

“We don’t just build individual platforms, we help orchestrate an integrated air-and-missile-defense (IAMD) architecture from Space to Seabed, built to protect today, while outpacing the threats of tomorrow.”

, Paul Pfahler, Sr. Manager for Strategy and Business Development, Lockheed Martin

Industrial Surge: Quadrupling Production

To support the “Golden Dome” and meet the demands of the Department of War’s new Acquisition Transformation Strategy, Lockheed Martin has committed to a massive expansion of its Manufacturing capabilities. Official agreements signed between the company and the DoW in early 2026 outline specific production targets intended to stabilize the industrial base through multi-year Contracts.

According to official announcements referenced in the campaign launch, the production surge includes:

• THAAD Interceptors: Production will quadruple from 96 to 400 interceptors per year.
• PAC-3 MSE: Capacity will triple, reaching 2,000 rounds per year.

To facilitate this growth, the company has broken ground on a new “Munitions Acceleration Center” in Camden, Arkansas. This facility is specifically designed to handle the increased throughput required by the new federal mandates.

“We will stabilize demand signals. We will award companies bigger, longer contracts for proven systems so those companies will be confident in investing more.”

, Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War

Strategic Context: The Department of War

The launch of “Seconds to Act” occurs against a backdrop of significant changes in the U.S. military establishment. In September 2025, an Executive Order officially renamed the Department of Defense to the Department of War (DoW). This semantic shift signals a move toward a more “offensive” and “warrior-focused” ethos within the Pentagon, now reflected in official contracts and documentation.

The “Golden Dome” initiative, estimated by the White House to cost approximately $175 billion, represents the flagship program of this new era. However, the program faces scrutiny regarding its cost and technical feasibility. Independent estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggest the total cost could range from $161 billion to over $500 billion, depending on the final architecture of the space-based components.

AirPro News Analysis

The rebranding of the Department of Defense to the Department of War is more than cosmetic; it appears to be driving a fundamental shift in procurement speed. By moving to multi-year “framework agreements” that guarantee high production volumes, the administration is attempting to solve the supply chain fragility that plagued the defense sector in the early 2020s.

Lockheed Martin’s “Seconds to Act” campaign is a direct response to this shift. By emphasizing AI-driven speed and integration over individual platform performance, the company is aligning its marketing with the DoW’s urgent focus on hypersonics and autonomous swarms. The explicit inclusion of the F-35 as a “sensor node” in missile defense architecture also suggests a push to integrate tactical air assets more deeply into strategic homeland defense roles than ever before.

FAQ

What is the “Golden Dome”?

The “Golden Dome” is a comprehensive missile defense initiative launched by the Trump Administration in 2025. It aims to create a multi-layered shield protecting the continental U.S. from ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

Why was the Department of Defense renamed?

In September 2025, an Executive Order renamed the agency to the Department of War (DoW). The administration stated this change was intended to signal a shift toward a more offensive, warfighting-centric mindset.

What are the key production increases announced?

Under new agreements, Lockheed Martin will quadruple THAAD interceptor production to 400 per year and triple PAC-3 MSE production to 2,000 per year.

Sources: Lockheed Martin