Trump’s “Golden Dome”: A Costly Illusion?

The proposed “Golden Dome,” a missile defense system to protect the U.S. from aerial threats, faces scientific hurdles and raises questions about its feasibility.

Since the Reagan era, America has pursued missile defense, yet a recent study highlights the “Golden Dome’s” potential impossibility. Despite this, defense contractors stand to gain significantly.

The “Iron Dome” for America

Trump’s executive order aims for a system, dubbed “Golden Dome,” to shield the homeland from ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. The concept: intercept threats before impact.

Jonathan Moneymaker, CEO of BlueHalo, acknowledges the challenge. Israel’s Iron Dome defends a small area against slower projectiles, unlike the “Golden Dome’s” ambitious nationwide scope against high-speed threats.

Technical Hurdles

Intercepting a missile is like “shooting a bullet with a bullet.” The study outlines challenges facing a “Golden Dome”-style system.

Stopping a nuclear weapon is the system’s primary goal, but the study casts doubt on its effectiveness.

Joseph Cirincione calls it “the mother of all scandals,” citing the lack of success despite decades of effort and billions spent.

The Three Phases of Interception

Boost Phase

Intercepting during the boost phase requires proximity to the launch site, posing geopolitical challenges, especially with North Korea’s proximity to China.

Mid-Course Phase

Distinguishing warheads from decoys and debris during the mid-course phase proves difficult. Current systems have limited reliability.

Terminal Phase

Terminal phase interception offers limited defense, vulnerable to the effects of nuclear explosions.

A Costly Endeavor?

Cirincione argues the system’s cost outweighs its benefits. Moneymaker, however, sees it as a chance for defense companies and envisions a vast network of weapons across the U.S.

The Pentagon has received hundreds of proposals, including drone swarms. Cirincione fears science will be ignored for profit.

Keywords: Missile Defense, Golden Dome, Trump, Nuclear Weapons, Defense Contractors, National Security