United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled new details on his plan for a missile defence system known as “Golden Dome”, which is estimated to cost a total of some $175 billion. The “Golden Dome” will be the first weapon the US puts in space, and it should be operational in about three years, by the end of his time in office, the President said.

Trump said his team has officially finalised the architecture of the futuristic defence system that he announced just days after returning to the White House in January. At the time, the Republican said the system would be aimed at countering “next-generation” aerial threats to the US, including ballistic and cruise missiles.

“In the campaign, I promised the American people I would build a cutting-edge missile defence shield…Today, I am pleased to announce we have officially selected architecture for this state-of-the-art system,” Trump said at the White House.

What Is The Golden Dome System?

The Golden Dome will be a ground- and space-based missile shield system that will detect, track and stop missiles at multiple stages of flight, potentially destroying them before takeoff or intercepting them in mid-air. Calling the new system “very important for the success and even survival” of the United States, Trump said that once fully constructed, it will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space. 

Golden Dome has more expansive goals, with Trump saying it “will deploy next-generation technologies across the land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors.”

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, speaking alongside Trump, said the design for the Golden Dome will integrate with existing ground-based defence capabilities and is aimed at protecting “the homeland from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they’re conventional or nuclear.”

How Much Will It Cost?

The system will cost over $500 billion, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. However, Trump has, so far, announced $25 billion in initial funding for the plan, which he said could eventually cost a total of some $175 billion. 

When Will It Be Completed?

Trump said the system will be operational in about three years, by the end of his time in office. However, Forbes reported that the cost of the project will be absorbed over 20 years. 

Who Will Lead The Project?

Trump said US Space Force General Michael Guetlein will lead the effort.  A four-star general, Guetlein had a 30-year career in the Air Force before he joined the Space Force in 2021. He reportedly specialises in missile defence and space systems.

Countries Covered Under the Golden Globe

The System is meant to protect the United States from all kinds of missile or drone attacks, but Trump said that Canada has expressed interest in being part of it as “they want to have protection also.”

Idea Behind The Golden Globe

The plan’s Golden Dome name stems from Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system that has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011. The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel’s Iron Dome is designed to counter.

The 2022 Missile Defence Review pointed to growing threats from Russia and China.

Who Opposes The Plan?

Russia and China earlier this month slammed the Golden Dome concept as “deeply destabilising,” saying it risked turning space into a “battlefield.”

It “explicitly provides for a significant strengthening of the arsenal for conducting combat operations in space,” said a statement published by the Kremlin after talks between the two sides.