Strategic move brings cutting-edge tech and military planning to the forefront
\n washington
\nUS President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled the design of the proposed $175-billion Golden Dome missile defence shield and appointed US Space Force General Michael Guetlein to lead the project.
\nThe system, aimed at countering missile threats from China and Russia, will rely on hundreds of satellites to detect, track and potentially intercept enemy launches.
\nSpeaking at a White House press conference, Trump described the initiative as essential to \u201cprotect our homeland.\u201d He also revealed that Canada had expressed interest in joining the effort.
\nCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney\u2019s office confirmed that security and economic ties with the United States were under review and that talks included \u201cstrengthening NORAD and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome.\u201d
\nTrump said he hopes the system will be operational by the end of his term in January 2029. However, analysts have questioned the feasibility of that timeline and the programme\u2019s true cost.
\n\u201cThis is what Reagan envisioned with \u2018Star Wars\u2019,\u201d Trump said, referencing the 1980s Strategic Defense Initiative. \u201cWe finally have the technology to do it.\u201d
\nWhile Republican lawmakers back the idea, the project faces political and financial hurdles. The US Congressional Budget Office recently estimated the full cost could exceed $831 billion over two decades.
\nSome Democrats have voiced concerns about transparency and the selection process for key contractors, with companies like SpaceX, Palantir and Anduril seen as potential frontrunners.
\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t just about traditional defence anymore,\u201d said Senator Kevin Cramer. \u201cIt\u2019s a new ecosystem driven by software, sensors and private innovation.\u201d
\nL3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin and RTX Corp were among firms mentioned as possible contributors to the effort.
\nL3Harris has already invested $150 million into a facility in Indiana producing tracking satellites that could support the Golden Dome.
\nTrump\u2019s version of the shield takes inspiration from Israel\u2019s Iron Dome, but on a much larger, space-based scale, with arrays of surveillance and intercept satellites designed to eliminate threats early in their flight.
\nInitial production is expected to tap into existing Pentagon programmes. Alaska, Florida, Georgia and Indiana were named as states likely to benefit from early deployment and industrial investment.
\nFunding remains uncertain. Republicans have proposed a $25-billion initial outlay as part of a broader $150-billion defence package, but the measure is tied to a contentious reconciliation bill.
\n\u201cUnless reconciliation passes, the funds for Golden Dome may not materialise,\u201d said one industry executive who requested anonymity. \u201cThis puts the entire project timeline in jeopardy.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Strategic move brings cutting-edge tech and military planning to the forefront washington US President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled the design of the proposed $175-billion Golden Dome missile defence shield and appointed US Space Force General Michael Guetlein to lead the project. The system, aimed at countering missile threats from China and Russia, will rely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":480054,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-480031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n