Trump’s 'Golden Dome' project nears completion, Pentagon’s priciest defense program
Donald Trump, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
The Pentagon has completed the development of the Golden Dome missile defense space system plan but refuses to disclose its scope and cost, reports Bloomberg.
The Pentagon announced the completion of the ambitious Golden Dome missile defense plan, led by US Space Forces General Michael Guetlein.
The new defense format aims to expand the number and complexity of threats the US can counter by integrating several new elements into the existing missile defense system.
The Pentagon is not yet revealing any details about the scale or cost of the Golden Dome program, citing security concerns.
The only known information is that the project is expected to be extremely expensive:
Former President Donald Trump previously stated that the program could cost around $175 billion. Meanwhile, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that just the network of space-based interceptors could cost the US $542 billion over the next 20 years.
A Pentagon spokesperson said the program is very expensive but critically important, as it would allow the US to counter complex threats from space.
Critics emphasize that implementing the project will be a major technical challenge, as interceptors have never been deployed in space. Analyst Todd Harrison noted that even minor changes to system parameters could increase costs by hundreds of billions of dollars.
The Golden Dome program risks becoming one of the most ambitious and controversial US defense projects in recent years, combining cutting-edge technology with enormous financial risks.
What was previously known about the Golden Dome
Golden Dome is an ambitious US defense program aimed at creating a space-based system for early detection and destruction of enemy missiles before they cover a significant portion of their trajectory.
The plan involves deploying hundreds of sensor satellites into orbit for surveillance, as well as combat platforms equipped with laser or missile weapons to intercept targets. According to Reuters, the network could include 400 to 1,000 observation satellites and around 200 combat satellites designed to destroy missiles in flight.
