US unveils $175B Golden Dome project

The United States is moving ahead with an ambitious multi-layered missile defense program known as “Golden Dome,” a flagship initiative of the Trump administration designed to provide unprecedented protection against ballistic threats.

According to a US government presentation obtained by Reuters, the system will feature four integrated layers, one in space and three on land, supported by 11 short-range missile batteries spread across the continental US, Alaska, and Hawaii. The presentation, emblazoned with the slogan “Go Fast, Think Big!”, was delivered last week to around 3,000 defense industry representatives in Huntsville, Alabama.

With a target completion date of 2028, set by President Donald Trump, the Golden Dome’s scale dwarfs that of previous US defense projects. While inspired by 'Israel’s' Iron Dome, the American system will be far larger and more complex, reflecting the wider geography and broader range of threats it is expected to counter.

The program’s estimated cost stands at USD 175 billion, though key technical and architectural details remain unsettled. “They have a lot of money, but they don't have a target of what it costs yet,” one US official told Reuters. Congress has already allocated USD 25 billion for the project through a tax-and-spend package passed in July, and an additional USD 45.3 billion is proposed in Trump’s 2026 budget request.

Golden Dome’s space-based layer will provide missile detection, tracking, and targeting, while the ground-based components will include interceptor missiles, advanced radar arrays, and possibly laser weapons. The plan also calls for a new missile field in the Midwest to host Next Generation Interceptors (NGI) built by Lockheed Martin. These will operate alongside Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Aegis systems in the “upper layer” of defense.

NGI will replace older missiles in the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) network, which currently operates launch sites in Alaska and southern California. The additional Midwest location is intended to strengthen coverage against intercontinental ballistic missile threats.

Among the challenges identified in the presentation are communications delays within the so-called “kill chain” of defense systems. Major contractors expected to contribute include Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, and Boeing, though the slides made no mention of SpaceX, which had partnered with Palantir and Anduril in an earlier bid for involvement.

The Pentagon said it is currently gathering expertise “from industry, academia, national labs, and other government agencies for support to Golden Dome,” but added it would be “imprudent” to release further details while the project is still in its formative stages.

One of the system’s primary objectives is to intercept missiles during their “boost phase”, the early stage of flight when a missile ascends through the atmosphere. The design calls for space-based interceptors capable of striking targets sooner and more effectively. However, the US has never developed a reentry vehicle capable of withstanding the heat of atmospheric reentry while still tracking and engaging a missile.

The final defensive tier, described as the “under layer” and “Limited Area Defense,” will integrate new radar technology with existing systems such as the Patriot missile batteries. A planned “common launcher” will allow the deployment of both current and future interceptors against multiple types of threats, with a modular, mobile design for rapid redeployment.

The Golden Dome will be overseen by Space Force General Michael Guetlein, who was confirmed to lead the program on July 17. According to a memo signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Guetlein has 30 days to assemble his team, 60 days to produce an initial design, and 120 days to present a full implementation plan, including both satellite and ground infrastructure.