Davidson Executive Board Chairman Presents to RUSI Conference in London on the Urgency of Homeland Missile Defense

(LONDON)— Davidson’s Executive Board Chairman, MG John W. Holly (USA, Ret.), delivered a presentation today to top military leaders and defense experts at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Conference. His remarks, broadcast virtually from the United States, underscored the intensifying global missile threat and the strategic imperative for modern homeland defense architectures in the 21st century.

MG Holly, who was instrumental in the establishment of the United States’ Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system following 9/11, drew a sharp distinction between defending maneuver forces and protecting domestic populations. “The stakes are fundamentally different,” he said. “In the homeland, you're not defending tactical formations—you’re defending your people, your infrastructure, and your way of life.”

His presentation traced the rapid development and deployment of the GMD system—a feat completed in just 33 months with a $10B budget. From constructing missile fields in Fort Greely, Alaska, to integrating advanced radars and command nodes across multiple states and countries, Holly recounted how the U.S. mobilized in response to credible threats from North Korea. “We achieved operational capability with 23 minutes to spare,” he reflected.

But Holly made clear that yesterday’s successes don’t guarantee tomorrow’s security.

“The threat has evolved. Thirty-one nations and multiple non-state actors now possess ballistic missiles. And we are seeing a shift—civilian targets, not just military forces, are increasingly prioritized by adversaries,” he warned.

Citing lessons from Ukraine and Israel, where thousands of missiles have been launched in recent conflicts, Holly emphasized the need for layered missile defense—combining kinetic interceptors, directed energy, passive protection, and offensive capabilities across all domains. He also offered a sobering hypothetical: a conventional ICBM strike on the UK, launched from North Korea under proxy coordination. “What are your options when there is no defense in place?” he asked. “Without credible defense, national leaders are left with limited options and neither inaction or overwhelming retaliation are  satisfactory alternatives.”

He urged leaders in the UK to begin constructing a “reasonable-cost, capability-based” homeland defense architecture—leveraging NATO-compatible solutions, U.S. alliances, and existing infrastructure like the radar at RAF Fylingdales. “You cannot wait for perfection. Begin with what’s available and evolve. The threats are not theoretical—they’re already here,” he concluded.

Davidson is proud to see its leadership contributing to these urgent conversations on the global stage. MG Holly’s insights continue to shape not just the legacy of GMD, but the future of integrated missile defense across allied nations.