United States President Donald Trump, He announced the details of the "Golden Dome" air defense shield project, which has a huge cost of $175 billion. In the meeting held in the Oval Office with the participation of generals and Republican senators, he laid out the place of this ambitious project in the next generation defense strategy of the United States. Trump stated that this system, which he aims to complete by the end of his term, will have the capacity to intercept missiles launched from anywhere in the world and even from space.
Golden Dome: New Generation Defense Architecture
President Trump emphasized that the Golden Dome will be “a state-of-the-art system that will deploy next-generation technologies, including space-based sensors and systems on land, sea and space.” “When fully built, the Golden Dome will have the capacity to intercept missiles, even if they are launched from the other side of the world, and even if they are launched from space,” Trump said, underlining that it will be “the best system ever built.” This ambitious statement reflects the United States’ desire to take its air defense capabilities to an unprecedented level.
Leadership and Control
Trump is planning to oversee this project, which he sees as one of his most important defense projects. He announced the appointment of General Michael Guetlein as second in command of the Space Force. General Guetlein thanked Trump for his trust and belief in his team, saying, “This is a great day for the United States.” This appointment demonstrates the strategic importance of the project and the central role of the Space Force in this monumental mission.
The process, which began in the early days of Trump’s second presidency when he first announced plans to develop an advanced, layered air defense umbrella, is moving forward with concrete steps following a 60-day review. The umbrella is designed to defeat a variety of threats, from low-level systems to advanced hypersonic and cruise missiles. It is expected to include a mix of land- and space-based systems.
Change in Threat Perception
According to Defense News, while the current air defense system focuses more on threats from "rogue nations" such as North Korea and Iran, Trump's new air defense shield, will also focus on threats from peer competitors. This shows that the US defense strategy aims to provide more comprehensive protection against potential attacks from major powers such as China and Russia. This paradigm shift can be considered as a reflection of the changes in global geopolitical balances.
Project Schedule and Challenges
Trump's Golden Dome Approximately Promise to deliver within “2,5 to 3 years” It will require the U.S. Department of Defense to field more advanced elements of the architecture years ahead of schedule. For example, the space-based air defense systems rumored to be part of the project have not yet been developed. And systems to target hypersonic missiles are not expected to be developed and delivered until the mid-2030s, highlighting the technological and logistical challenges facing the project’s ambitious timeline.
While more advanced elements of the Golden Dome will take time to be delivered, some pieces of the architecture are already in various stages of development. For example, a space-based air defense and surveillance layer consisting of satellites and sensors capable of detecting and tracking high-end missile threats, currently being developed and fielded by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Space Force, forms the basis of this project.
Congressional Support and Cost
Republicans in Congress are largely supportive of the Golden Dome project. In February, Alaska Senators Dan Sullivan and Kevin Cramer, who were in the Oval Office during the announcement on Tuesday, May 20, said: He had introduced a bill proposing a $2026 billion budget for the Golden Dome in fiscal 19,5. This support suggests that the project has a solid political foundation and may not face significant financing hurdles, but the total cost of $175 billion also highlights the project’s huge budgetary burden.
The Golden Dome project is part of the US's quest to redefine its air defense capabilities and provide stronger protection against future threats. But achieving these ambitious goals will require significant technological innovations, extensive financing, and adherence to a tight timeline.
