The threats to the United States are evolving at an unprecedented rate. As adversaries field hypersonic missiles, low-observable aircraft, and RF-silent drone swarms, traditional defense systems are inadequate. The Golden Dome initiative represents a bold step forward—building a layered, nationwide defense network designed to detect, track, and counter these advanced aerial threats before they reach U.S. airspace.

At Hidden Level, we are excited to see this critical national security effort come to fruition. As adversaries develop more advanced aerial threats, our unique passive RF sensing technology provides a scalable, cost-effective, and rapidly deployable airspace awareness layer that enables missile defense networks by filling crucial detection gaps at low altitudes and up.

Already deployed in key locations, our battlefield-tested technology is fully operational and ready to scale across the country.

Golden Dome Needs a Low-Altitude Surveillance Layer

While missile defense systems focus on high-altitude threats, low-altitude risks are escalating at an alarming rate, exposing one of the most significant gaps in U.S. air defense. Adversaries are rapidly developing small uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), autonomous drones, and low-observable aircraft specifically designed to evade traditional radar and exploit weaknesses in existing defense systems.

Near-Peer Adversaries Like Russia and China Are Driving Drone Warfare

·      Both China and Russia are developing stealthy, RF-silent, and AI-powered drone swarms capable of precision strikes, electronic warfare, and real-time surveillance.

·      The Ukraine conflict has demonstrated how drones are reshaping modern warfare, being used to disable air defenses, attack energy grids, and disrupt logistics hubs.

·      China has showcased swarm drone technology, proving its ability to coordinate hundreds of drones to disrupt traditional radar and execute strategic strikes.

·      Cyber actors are increasingly using drones to enable cyber operations, from drone delivery of malware to drones carrying network intrusion kits and providing physical access to otherwise geographically isolated target networks.

Low-Altitude Threats Pose an Immediate Risk to U.S. National Security

·      RF-silent drones and stealth aircraft can operate undetected in current defense networks, particularly urban environments and around critical infrastructure.

·      Electronic warfare drones are being used to jam communications, enable RF cyber attacks, and disrupt GPS systems, creating severe risks for military and civilian operations.

·      Small drones can carry payloads, conduct reconnaissance, or act as decoys, overwhelming kinetic defense systems optimized for high-altitude threats like missiles and large aircraft.

Traditional Radar Falls Short in the Modern Threat Landscape

• Historically, active radar systems have been optimized for high-altitude, large-scale threats—leaving them ill-equipped to detect small, low-flying drones or sub-sonic cruise missiles.
• Urban terrain and natural obstacles further degrade their performance, creating blind spots where modern threats can operate undetected.
• Active radars emit powerful signals, making them easy for adversaries to locate and target—often becoming the first systems attacked, as seen in Ukraine.
• Distributed passive sensing networks are emerging as the future of airspace security—more survivable, scalable, and cost-effective than distributed active radar solutions, which are expensive and vulnerable to attack.

Current Defense Systems Are Not Designed for Low-Altitude Asymmetric Threats

·      Legacy air defense networks were built to counter ballistic missiles and conventional aircraft, not swarming, autonomous, or stealth drones.

·      Emerging threats exploit gaps in traditional detection systems, making a dedicated low-altitude surveillance layer critical to national defense.

·      Drones and low-observable aircraft use urban infrastructure, terrain, and radar shadows to stay hidden, making them difficult to detect with conventional methods.

·      Passive distributed systems are poised to shape the future – they’re stealthy, harder to pinpoint, and sidestep the vulnerabilities of active systems.

Hidden Level is Golden Dome Ready

These challenges demand a new approach to airspace surveillance—one that leverages passive, networked detection systems capable of operating undetected and at scale.

Hidden Level’s passive RF sensing technology is uniquely suited to fill this gap and deploy immediately as part of the Golden Dome initiative.

Urban Environments Create Challenges for Traditional Radar

·      RF congestion is notoriously high in cities, with signals from cell towers, Wi-Fi networks, and commercial broadcasts creating a noisy, crowded spectrum. But that’s exactly where Hidden Level thrives. Our sensors don’t just filter out the noise—they harness it. Designed to operate in dense RF environments, our technology turns that complexity into an advantage, using the abundance of ambient signals to sharpen detection, improve tracking fidelity, and deliver unmatched accuracy on low-altitude threats.

·      Radar struggles in urban landscapes due to terrain and infrastructure obstructions, leaving gaps in coverage where small UAS can maneuver undetected. Our networked, multi-static passive radar sensors, integrated into a distributed sensor network, use multiple spatially separated receivers, allowing them to detect stealth and RF-silent drones that would otherwise slip past traditional systems.

·       As mentioned above, active radar systems are visible and vulnerable, emitting signals that can be detected, jammed, or targeted by adversaries. Hidden Level’s passive sensing network remains undetectable, making it a covert, survivable solution for homeland defense.

A Networked Solution for Nationwide Deployment

Unlike traditional defense systems that require large, costly installations, Hidden Level’s passive RF sensors are compact, scalable, and built for rapid deployment:

·      Low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) – Our sensors are small, power-efficient, and easy to integrate, allowing for covert deployment in high-risk areas without costly infrastructure changes.

·      Seamless Integration with Existing Networks – Our system is designed to blend into urban environments, leveraging telecommunications infrastructure for quick deployment while avoiding the visibility of traditional radar sites.

·      Networked Sensor Grid – Instead of relying on single-point detection, Hidden Level’s sensors operate as a distributed network, allowing cross-referenced tracking of threats in real time.

Ready to Deploy Now

Unlike other solutions that require years of development and changes in policy and law, Hidden Level’s technology is TRL-9, field-proven, and actively deployed today in key locations, including the National Capital Region.

Between mid-November 2024 and January 2025, the United States faced an unprecedented surge in unauthorized drone activity, forcing military, law enforcement, and aviation officials to scramble for solutions. The urgency escalated on December 13, 2024, when a rogue drone breached restricted airspace at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York.

The incursion forced a shutdown of Stewart International Airport for over an hour, highlighting the urgent need for real-time airspace monitoring and rapid response capabilities. Ultimately, military officials turned to Hidden Level’s Airspace Monitoring Service (AMS) to restore situational awareness and enhance airspace security.

From Request to Reality in 24 Hours

Our rapid deployment at Stewart Air National Guard Base (ANGB) demonstrated how quickly our Airspace Monitoring Service (AMS) can be operational, transforming airspace security within 24 hours of receiving the request. Before Hidden Level, Stewart ANGB struggled with slow, inefficient tracking methods and lacked a real-time, multi-agency operating picture. Once AMS was activated, security teams received instant alerts, accurately pinpointing the rogue drone operator’s location within just a few feet  and enabled law enforcement interdiction within seven minutes. Within 48 hours, Hidden Level integrated into Palantir’s data feed and provided a shared, real-time view of airspace activity to the Air Force, state law enforcement, emergency services, and federal law enforcement. ‍

This was an industry first—a fully passive, distributed detection network deployed in a live operational environment, integrated across multiple agencies, and delivering real-time airspace security without disrupting existing infrastructure.

Zero Red Tape. Full Operational Capability. Right Now.

Unlike traditional defense and intelligence tools restricted by Title 50 and Title 10, Hidden Level’s RF tracking data is legally deployable and shareable across Homeland Security, DoD, FAA, and law enforcement agencies. This enables a legally compliant common operating picture—real-time, multi-agency coordination without red tape or legal barriers.

Hidden Level’s AMS is fully Title 18 compliant and ready to scale now. With no special waivers required and no legal restrictions on data sharing, we offer a field-proven solution that can be deployed immediately to protect high-risk locations across the country.

Redefining Procurement for Modern Threats

This unprecedented speed of deployment also transformed the procurement model. Instead of requiring months of acquisition processes, regulatory approvals, and infrastructure buildout, Hidden Level’s turnkey Airspace Monitoring Service (AMS) allows for:

·      Manufacturing Readiness at Scale – With Made in the USA MRL-9 production capabilities, we are already producing and deploying sensors at a scale that fully supports Golden Dome’s immediate rollout, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and security.

·      Operational in Urban and Critical Infrastructure Environments – Our sensors are already monitoring airspace in high-priority locations, including major U.S. cities and military installations, providing real-time surveillance where traditional systems face limitations.

·      Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) Model – Designed for seamless deployment and management, our system delivers continuous airspace awareness without requiring additional infrastructure investment or maintenance burdens for the end user.

·      Passive RF Sensing—No FCC Approval Delays – Unlike active radar systems that require FCC spectrum approvals and weeks or months of coordination, Hidden Level’s passive sensors do not emit signals, do not interfere with existing communications, and do not require any policy changes – they can be activated  and deployed immediately.

By leveraging existing legal frameworks, avoiding spectrum approval hurdles, and eliminating lengthy procurement cycles, Hidden Level provides Golden Dome with a privacy-compliant, immediately actionable solution for low-altitude surveillance.

Bringing Low-Altitude Awareness to Golden Dome

Hidden Level is ready to rapidly scale airspace awareness capabilities, consistent with Golden Dome’s plans for deployment. Starting with 11 major metropolitan areas and expanding to 40+ key cities, our network will provide persistent, real-time tracking of both low- and high-altitude aerial threats. By integrating seamlessly with existing defense networks, our passive RF sensor technology enhances and augments missile defense capabilities, including electronic warfare (EW), jamming, laser systems, directed energy, and defensive drone swarms. This networked approach delivers real-time intelligence, enabling faster, more effective responses to emerging threats before they reach critical targets.

The future of homeland defense depends on real-time airspace awareness, and Hidden Level is ready now to deliver the passive RF sensing network that Golden Dome needs.

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