US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a $175 billion missile defence initiative named the ‘Golden Dome’, a satellite-driven system designed to shield the United States against emerging threats, particularly from China and Russia.
Speaking from the Oval Office, President Trump disclosed that he had finalised the design of the advanced system and appointed US Space Force General Michael Guetlein to lead the project.
“Golden Dome will protect our homeland,” Trump declared. He added that Canada had expressed interest in the initiative, although Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office has yet to comment publicly.
The proposed system will employ hundreds of satellites to detect, track and potentially intercept incoming missiles. Inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, the American version will be far more extensive, incorporating both surveillance and interceptor satellites. Trump signed an executive order in January to launch the initiative.
“All of them will be knocked out of the air,” the President assured. “The success rate is very close to 100%.”
Funding and corporate partnerships under scrutiny
The plan’s projected cost has raised eyebrows, particularly among Democrats. With implementation likely to span several years, questions remain over political backing and financial feasibility. Nonetheless, Trump asserted the project would be completed by January 2029, should he win a second term.
There is increasing focus on the private sector’s role, with companies such as SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril tipped as potential collaborators. Concerns have also been raised over the selection process for these partnerships.
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The Pentagon is preparing to test and procure system components, including sensors, interceptor missiles, and satellites. Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies and RTX Corp are among the firms expected to contribute to the project.
States such as Alaska, Florida, Georgia and Indiana are anticipated to benefit economically through manufacturing contracts, as many system components will derive from existing production infrastructure.
A leap forward in integrated missile defence
The Golden Dome represents a significant evolution in missile defence philosophy. Unlike traditional systems primarily targeting ballistic missiles, Trump’s initiative will also engage new-generation hypersonic glide vehicles, cruise missiles, and AI-equipped drone swarms.
These newer threats, being faster and more agile, pose significant detection and interception challenges. The ‘Golden Dome’ system is therefore being heralded as a transformative upgrade to the United States’ Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) network.
At its core is a so-called “System of Systems” — an interconnected network comprising detection sensors, tracking technology, interceptor missiles and command nodes. Each part will operate autonomously yet exchange data in real time to detect and neutralise threats swiftly.
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