The “Golden Dome” is a proposed, large-scale missile defense system announced by President Donald Trump to shield the U.S. from advanced missile threats, including ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles.
The project draws conceptual inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome but is designed to be far more expansive, aiming to protect the entire U.S. homeland and potentially its allies (including Canada).
“The Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space,” the president said, adding that he wants it to be operational before his term ends.The concept includes both ground- and space-based capabilities that would defend against missiles by: detecting and destroying them ahead of launch, intercepting them early in flight, halting them midcourse and stopping them in the last few moments of approaching a target.The initiative would have multiple layers that expand on what the U.S. already has and build new programs to counter the full range of aerial threats, according to Gen. Gregory Guillot, the head of U.S. Northern Command, who testified in front of Congress in April.He described a domain awareness layer to track threats and then two other layers, “the first being an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) defeat layer, which largely exists today with the GBIs (ground-based interceptors) that can defeat a North Korean threat and then an air layer that would defeat cruise missiles and air threats.”
This week, Trump said he had selected a design for the $175-billion Golden Dome missile defense shield and named a Space Force general to head the program.
Trump told a White House press conference that U.S. Space Force General Michael Guetlein would be the lead program manager for an effort widely viewed as the keystone to Trump’s military planning.Golden Dome will “protect our homeland,” Trump said, adding that Canada had said it wanted to be part of it.In a statement, the office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he and his ministers were discussing a new security and economic relationship with their American counterparts.”These discussions naturally include strengthening NORAD and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome,” it added.Trump said the defense shield, which would cost some $175 billion, should be operational by the end of his term in January 2029, but industry experts were less certain of that timeframe and the cost.
It appears that China’s officials are unhappy with the move, accusing Trump of “weaponizing space“.
Golden Dome has a “strong offensive nature and violates the principle of peaceful use in the Outer Space Treaty,” Chinese Foreign Minister Mao Ning said Wednesday.”The project will heighten the risk of turning space into a war zone and creating a space arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system,” Mao said. “We urge the U.S. to give up developing and deploying global anti-missile system.”Both China and Russia have placed offensive weapons in space, like anti-satellite capabilities that could potentially be used to try to take the U.S. offline, American intelligence officials have warned.
I am sure China is very unhappy with Trump’s plans to revitalize the American military and enhance our national defenses. It has a good 4 years of Biden’s autopen giving Chinese leaders exactly what they wanted when they wanted it.
Russia seems a little more chill with the prospect.
In Russia’s capital, meanwhile, the Kremlin said Wednesday that Mr. Trump’s plans would require consultations between Moscow and Washington, but a spokesperson said it was largely a “sovereign matter” for the U.S.It was a softer stance than taken previously by the regime of President Vladimir Putin, which had recently published a statement saying the new American missile defense system would explicitly give Moscow an impetus “for a significant strengthening of the arsenal for conducting combat operations in space.”
Israel’s Iron Dome has consistently demonstrated a high interception rate, with Israeli officials and independent assessments reporting success rates typically of around 90% for rockets and projectiles deemed to threaten populated areas. For example, during the May 2021 conflict, over 4,300 rockets were fired from Gaza, with more than 1,500 targeting populated areas. Iron Dome intercepted over 90% of those, significantly reducing casualties and damage.
The US Army has recently obtained at least two Iron Dome batteries.
It has consistently blocked more than 90% of rockets fired towards Israel, with a naval version deployed to protect ships and other assets in 2017.This is why the number of Israeli deaths in the current war with Hamas has remained low, while those in Gaza continue to increase.Soon after it began operating it became the envy of other militaries.Rafael has said it has supplied at least two Iron Dome batteries to the US army, with Ukraine having made a similar request.
If we can get Elon Musk’s efficiency team on the project, I am sure we can make our dome system even bigger and more golden.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY