Golden Dome Partnership: Core Systems Supporting Lockheed
Martin’s Vision for Homeland Defense
Golden Dome Partnership: Core Systems Supporting Lockheed Martin’s Vision for Homeland Defense
By Chris Schaffner, President, Core Systems
In an era where threats are evolving faster than ever, the importance of readiness, resilience, and innovation cannot be overstated. At Core Systems, we are proud to be a key partner in Lockheed Martin’s forward-leaning strategy to defend the homeland—most notably through the groundbreaking Golden Dome initiative. As the President of Core Systems,
I am honored to share how our close collaboration with Rick Cordaro and his team at Lockheed Martin is shaping the future of missile defense and next-generation military computing.
A Partnership Built on Purpose
Core Systems has long specialized in designing and
building custom rugged, mission-ready computing systems for military and industrial environments.
When Lockheed Martin entrusted us to build the rack infrastructure for the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR)—the backbone of the Missile Defense Agency’s detection and tracking network—we understood the significance of our
role. It was more than just building hardware. It was contributing to a vision of national security that aligns perfectly with our company’s values and capabilities.
Rick Cordaro, Vice President of Radar and Sensor Systems at Lockheed Martin, has made it clear that “deterrence begins with detection”. That message resonates deeply with us at Core Systems.
Every rack we build, every system we integrate, plays a role in ensuring threats are identified and intercepted before they can harm U.S. citizens or our allies. We’ve worked alongside Lockheed Martin on recent deployments, and as the Golden Dome initiative ramps up, we’re even more excited about what the future holds. From design to final assembly, our team is engaged in creating hardware platforms that must not only perform flawlessly—but do so in some of the harshest conditions on Earth.
Golden Dome: The Future of Homeland Security
Golden Dome is not just a program—it’s a national strategy. Spearheaded by the Department of Defense with Lockheed Martin as a leading partner, Golden Dome aims to build a layered missile defense shield over the U.S. homeland and its territories. This defense structure integrates early detection, real-time tracking, and rapid neutralization of aerial threats including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, UAVs, and hypersonic systems.
The LRDR and other advanced radars like the TPY-6 and Sentinel A4 are the eyes of this system. What Lockheed Martin is building is not just defense—it’s assurance. And what Core Systems contributes to that mission is structural integrity, environmental resilience, and seamless integration of rackbased platforms that house the critical components these radars rely on.
We believe Golden Dome will become one of the most talked-about defense programs of the
next decade—and we’re committed to ensuring Core Systems remains at the forefront of that conversation. From a branding and mission standpoint, “Golden Dome” is now a central theme for our team—one we’ll continue to champion across all media platforms and in our communications.
First to Market: Tactical GPU Systems, Military Laptops & ATMOS
As the defense landscape shifts to multi-domain operations and edge-based computing, Core Systems has responded by bringing to market a new line of tactical GPU systems and ultra-rugged military-grade laptops and servers. These platforms are designed for on-the-go missions
Rugged RPS417 Laptop
Server Grade Power.
Rugged
Portable Form Factor.
Full-Spectrum Capability: Design. Manufacture.
Integrate.
What makes Core Systems a trusted partner in programs like LRDR and Golden Dome is our end-to-end capability. We’re not just a vendor. We’re an engineering-driven, vertically integrated team that can take a concept from idea to field deployment with speed and precision.
Design: Every solution begins with ruggedization, modularity, and field repairability in mind. Our engineering team specializes in designing enclosures and server chassis that meet MIL-STD-810, 901D, and 461 requirements.
Manufacturing: With a full machine shop and clean assembly floor located in-house in San Diego, we can rapidly prototype, test, and scale production based on program timelines.
Integration: We don’t just ship parts—we deliver turnkey systems. Whether it’s a high-density rack for a radar platform or a tactical GPU unit, our systems arrive fully configured, tested, and validated. This holistic approach is why we’re proud to be recognized as one of the few ELITE SUPPLIERS to Lockheed Martin’s Moorestown team. That status is more than a badge—it’s a shared commitment to quality, urgency, and mission alignment.
are compact enough to fit into a rucksack but powerful enough to drive machine learning workloads, drone swarm control, and advanced targeting systems. Similarly, our rugged laptops are built to withstand battlefield abuse—yet deliver processing power that rivals desktop servers.
where size, weight, and performance matter most. They are equipped with the latest NVIDIA GPUs, advanced cooling systems, and encryption-ready
architecture to support AI, signal processing, and realtime situational awareness— even in mobile or dismounted operations.
Our tactical GPU systems
One of our most advanced platforms is the ATMOS unit—a field-deployable, mission-ready system designed for maximum performance in extreme environments. ATMOS has already proven itself as a standout solution for mobile edge computing, and we’re excited to announce that future versions will incorporate the NVIDIA Blackwell GPU architecture, unlocking next-level AI acceleration, real-time ISR capability, and onboard model training—all in a rugged form factor optimized for deployed forces. These solutions are not concepts—they’re first in their class and already being fielded by special forces and mobile command units. When paired with the broader Golden Dome strategy, they offer a decentralized, adaptive layer of defense that complements the radar and detection systems Lockheed Martin deploys globally.
Deterrence begins with detection. Execution begins with integration. And success begins with trusted partnerships.
