The United States is set to bolster its defenses with the Golden Dome system, as President Trump has revealed the chosen design to protect against advanced aerial threats.
It is anticipated that the system will be up and running before Trump’s current term ends.
President Trump instructed the Department of Defense to create a detailed blueprint for the new system, which is meant to offer a multi-layered shield across land, sea, and space, shortly after his return to the White House in January.
According to a new legislative package, the project’s starting budget is $25 billion, while its predicted long-term expenses are $175 billion.
Independent estimates, however, indicate that the total cost may surpass $500 billion over a 20-year period, especially because of the space-based elements.
The Golden Dome will incorporate space-based sensors and interceptors that can detect and neutralize missiles launched from great distances.
This will include those deployed from space, according to a statement released by the Oval Office by President Trump.
According to the president, “all of them will be knocked out of the air,” and the system’s success rate is anticipated to be close to 100%.
Space Force General Michael Guetlein, who is now vice head of space operations, will be in charge of the project.
To guarantee quick reaction and coordination, officials affirmed that the many components of the Golden Dome will function under a centralized command structure.
Although it will be much larger in scale and scope, the new missile defense idea is modeled by Israel’s Iron Dome system.
The Golden Dome is made to fight a variety of threats, such as fractional orbital bombardment systems and hypersonic glide vehicles, which are space-based platforms that can deliver warheads anywhere in the world, in contrast to the Iron Dome, which mainly intercepts short-range rockets.