Four decades after President Ronald Reagan initially proposed the concept, leaders in the defense industry assert that advancements in technology have finally made it possible to create an imperceptible protective shield consisting of space-based radars, missile interceptors, and laser systems over the United States.
Fueled by admiration for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, President Donald Trump directed the Defense Department in January to start developing a U.S. equivalent named the “Golden Dome.”
However, Israel’s much smaller territory compared to the vast expanse of the U.S. poses significant challenges in implementing such a protective dome. While threats to Israel typically arise from nearby countries with short-range armaments, the U.S. faces adversaries like North Korea, Iran, Russia, and China, which are distantly located and equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and hypersonic weapons, complicating the endeavor for a nation as large as the U.S.
Uncertainties persist regarding the coverage of the Golden Dome. Would it extend to encompass the entirety of the nation, including Hawaii, Alaska, and military bases in Guam? Can it defend against short-range and long-range missiles, as well as both unmanned and manned aircraft?
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Digitized concept design of Golden Dome (Lockheed Martin)
Some answers may emerge later this month when the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget present their funding proposal for the initiative to the White House. Defense industry executives claim that the technology required to realize the Golden Dome is already available.
“In our opinion, it should be a layered approach. Because, for instance, engaging a UAV is fundamentally different from intercepting a hypersonic vehicle or weapon,” stated Phil Jasper, CEO of Raytheon, a leading U.S. defense contractor known for producing systems like the Patriot missile system, Javelin anti-tank missiles, and various radar and air defense technologies.
The U.S. has an existing layered missile defense framework called the Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) System, which utilizes radar to identify incoming missiles and launch interceptors accordingly.
This system includes technologies such as the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) battery, capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, and the Patriot system, designed to tackle cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and aircraft. Currently, there are only seven operational THAAD batteries stationed around the globe, with an eighth expected to be activated this year.
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Space Force General Michael Guetlein indicated weeks ago that establishing the Golden Dome would necessitate a collaborative, large-scale effort across various government sectors, including the missile defense agency, Air Force, Army, Navy, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
Some defense contractors, who have anticipated a Golden Dome-like initiative for quite some time, suggest that the initial protective zone may focus on major metropolitan areas like New York and Washington, D.C., before scaling up to cover the entirety of the homeland.
“From what I’m perceiving, the objective is to safeguard the entire U.S., essentially creating a dome over the homeland,” conveyed Edward Zoiss, president of space and airborne systems for L3Harris Technologies.
Jasper speculated that some of these defensive systems could be rapidly deployed, potentially by 2026.
“The framework that the administration has proposed involves a foundational approach, enabling protection for specific regions and areas and allowing the rollout to expand as production continues,” he remarked.
A U.S. warship detecting threats in a digitized concept image for the Golden Dome project (Lockheed Martin )
Jonathan Moneymaker, CEO of BlueHalo, believes that the dome is “less about technological challenges” and mainly an issue of organizational structure.
“Realizing the full potential of all these capabilities functioning in unison at such scale presents some entirely new challenges,” Moneymaker explained.
John Clark, vice president of technology and strategic innovation at Lockheed, stated that it’s crucial for the Pentagon to “consider what resources it already possesses.”
“Current systems held within the Air National Guard or local defense infrastructure could potentially be deployed domestically,” he suggested.
Clark also cautioned that deploying defense resources within the U.S. might deplete inventories needed for global conflicts, although he indicated that anything repositioned from an Army base could be replenished later.
Zoiss, whose company, L3Harris Technologies, has developed satellites for the missile defense agency that might aid in space-based radar systems for the Golden Dome, pointed to the unpredictability of missile trajectories as the primary obstacle.
“Historically, ICBMs would follow predictable parabolic paths. However, a new generation of agile cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons deviates from this norm,” he said. “Their final destinations can be uncertain, and our defensive systems must evolve to continuously track these weapons throughout their entire flight paths.”
Experts assert that space-based radar will be pivotal in addressing future threats to the homeland.
“Our biggest challenge lies in countering long-range weaponry. These advanced munitions cover vast distances while evading detection by our current land and sea radar systems,” Zoiss noted. “When such weapons bypass these existing systems, our current architecture fails to provide effective fire control, necessitating a shift to space-based solutions.”
The Golden Dome initiative could leverage ongoing missile defense objectives, such as the National Capital Region Integrated Air Defense System, designed to shield Washington, D.C., employing systems like the Norwegian National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).
Additionally, it might draw from smaller-scale systems already in development. The Army is creating an Iron Dome-like air defense system in Guam known as the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2, alongside developing high-powered microwave systems to neutralize large drone swarms.
Lasers are shown detecting a threat in a concept illustration of the Golden Dome. (Lockheed Martin )
The Marine Corps plans to deploy three mobile air defense systems this year, including a modified Iron Dome launcher.
Additional requirements might encompass over-the-horizon radar to bridge gaps in the Arctic region, safeguarding against low-flying missiles that seek to elude detection.
Guetlein emphasized the need to “remove barriers” between Title 10 and Title 50 of the U.S. Code, the laws governing national defense and covert operations.
“Undoubtedly, our primary obstacle will be organizational behavior and culture to unify all components,” Guetlein stated.
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Significant funding is anticipated to be outlined in Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal for Congress, currently being developed by the White House. Even with initial financial support, the project is likely to be a long-term endeavor, requiring substantial investment.
Steven Morani, acting undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, mentioned on Wednesday that he is collaborating with the private sector to tackle the “daunting” challenges associated with this venture.
“Aligned with our commitment to protect the homeland and following President Trump’s executive order, we are engaging with the industrial base to address the logistical challenges in establishing the Golden Dome,” he stated.
