US Space Force General Michael Guetlein, said that the Golden Dome will build on existing systems that are largely aimed at traditional ICBMs. The new system will add multiple layers that can also detect and defend against cruise missiles and other threats which would include intercepting them before they launch or at the various stages of their flight. (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyvmj6mem70o)
Retired US Air Force General Glen D. VanHerck, who led Northcom and NORAD from 2020 to 2024, estimated that developing and deploying a space-based sensor and interceptor layer could take five to 10 years. (https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4187381/defense-leaders-discuss-threats-golden-dome-during-budget-talks/)
On the other hand, in the Oval Office, Trump suggested that the Golden Dome could be completed by the end of his term, with a total cost of $175bn over time, including an initial investment of $25bn currently earmarked in his “Big Beautiful Bill” recently (May of 2025) approved by the House.
His estimate is far out of sync with the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO’s), which has put the potential price tag at $542bn over 20 years on the space-based systems alone. (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyvmj6mem70o)
The proposed Golden Dome would block missiles fired from other countries and from space, weaving together existing technologies with future tech that still needs to be developed! (https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/golden-dome-canada-1.7540566) . In Political speak, meaning, $175bn is little more than a barnyard guess as to what it might actually cost.
A number of defense companies have expressed interest in trying to build the Golden Dome. For example, in March (of 2025), Reuters reported that Elon Musk’s firm SpaceX had joined in the bidding race for the project. However, Musk later refuted that claim in a post on X. (https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/g-s1-61658/trump-golden-dome-america-iron-military-defense). Though, such statements by Musk are often questioned or contradicted days or weeks later.
Some have likened the “Golden Dome” to the “Iron Dome” which has proven itself incredibly effective during Israel’s latest wars and conflicts at intercepting missiles and rockets. It depends on a powerful network of Earth based radars, computers, and interceptor missiles to defend cities and military sites throughout the Israeli countryside. (https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/g-s1-61658/trump-golden-dome-america-iron-military-defense)
Currently, the US Missile Defense Agency largely relies on 44 ground-based interceptors based in Alaska and California which is designed to combat a limited missile attack. https://bbc.com/news/articles/cyvmj6mem70o). The system is woefully inadequate if the US homeland were to be attacked by Russia and or China, each of which has an expanded arsenal of hundreds of ICBMs and thousands of cruise missiles. (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyvmj6mem70o) Technology to shoot down missiles has existed for decades, but the kind of missile shield Trump is looking to build would be much more complex.
The new missile defense system described by Trump will likely be space-based interceptors, according to most knowledgeable experts. (https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/g-s1-61658/trump-golden-dome-america-iron-military-defense)
The Golden Dome would be called upon to counter traditional ICBMs, advanced cruise missiles, Mach 5 (5 times the speed of sound) hypersonic weapons that are currently being developed by the United States, China, and Russia as well as more futuristic systems like “orbital bombardment vehicles”, which will deliver warheads from space. (https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4187381/defense-leaders-discuss-threats-golden-dome-during-budget-talks/)
It’s true that a large percentage of Americans would very likely sleep better knowing a “Golden Dome” stood ready to defend America when called upon. However, because of the complexity, most current US defense leaders agree that building such a comprehensive shield will definitely not happen “overnight” (https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4187381/defense-leaders-discuss-threats-golden-dome-during-budget-talks/) as has been implied by Trump and his ‘Team’ of experts. But then most folks are aware that Trump is a rare breed of Real Estate Promoter who seldom considers truth as a necessary part of a sales pitch 🙂
For this reason and more to get a better sense of what’s at stake—and whether Golden Dome has a better chance of success than its failed forebear, Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, aka “Star Wars”), consider this:
From the start, politicians and scientists alike argued that SDI was overambitious. The technical hurdles required to achieve SDI seemed so incredible at the time that Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy referred to it as “reckless ‘Star Wars’ schemes”. Yeah, the ‘Star Wars’ nickname stuck. Over the course of 10 years, the government spent about $30bn (near 75.6 Billion equivalent in 2025) on trying to develop the concept, but the ‘futuristic’ program remained just that—futuristic. It was formally scrapped by President Bill Clinton, 10 years later in 1993. (https://www.history.com/articles/reagan-star-wars-sdi-missile-defense)
Recently (May 2025) — Scientific American, an American popular science magazine, spoke with Jeffrey Lewis, an expert on the geopolitics of nuclear weaponry at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-trumps-golden-dome-wont-shield-the-u-s-from-nuclear-strikes/) so as to get his view on Trump’s “Golden Dome” proposal. Having read his many in-depth responses several times throughout the interview he perhaps indirectly described the “folly” of the proposed project best with the following comments: “Many people just don’t like the concept of deterrence—‘mutual assured destruction’ and all that—because, remember, the status quo is this: If Russia [or China] launches 1,000 nuclear weapons at us—or 100 or 10 or even just one—then we are going to murder every single person in Russia [or China] with an immediate nuclear counterattack. That’s how deterrence works. We’re not going to wait for those missiles to land so we can count up our dead to calibrate a more nuanced response. That’s official U.S. policy, and I don’t think anyone wants it to be this way forever. But it’s arguably what’s prevented any nuclear exchange from occurring to date”.
In-other-words, in its current form, “Golden Dome”, like the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, aka “Star Wars”) back in 1983 is lacking in far too many quarters to justify the required investment and or risk to the long-term benefit of the typical US Citizen.
Regardless, it is probable that the Trump team will see fit to provide several SpaceX contract launches every year for his ‘political financier’, Elon Musk, for the remainder of his term. And this resourceful President won’t have to work too hard or long to find a monetary source within the program that’s all his own?
Even so, in my humble opinion, Golden Dome in all likelihood can never be completed absent one or more attacks by a half dozen or more US adversaries or allies who fear the placement of hundreds of US space based “interceptors” will ultimately lead to their total and violent end via US nuclear strikes! Such an action is sure to result in World War!
Still, the World as we know it is at risk as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s consistent bulling of Taiwan. As for the continuous unrest in the middle east, presently it is un-likely to have serious worldwide negative effects.
It has long been obvious that Russia’s President Putin is obsessed with vastly expanding the Russian Empire to its “former glory” by means of uncivilized military aggression. If or when he stops, remains an unknown. To date, he has successfully limited “western” military aide to Ukraine with the not so veiled threat of using nuclear weapons against so called “Western Aggression”. Surely, he (Putin) would have “talked back” the limited aide Ukraine has obtained from the west had he not mistakenly believed his invasion would be completed well inside a week.
Yep, the ferocity with which the Ukrainians have fought to date has place the Russian aggressors in a weakened state! Even the help of the fierce North Koreans failed Putin miserably.
Sooo, the time has arrived for the following actions: First, the US and all of her Allies must force Russia out of Ukraine by whatever conventional military means necessary! Second, prohibit Russia from trade of any kind with China, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan or India until such time as set forth or approved by NATO Command via blockade if necessary. And third, NATO shall only allow Russia to return to economic normalcy with the remainder of the world (NATO country’s or otherwise) until Russia unconditionally surrenders and or destroys all existing nuclear weapons located in Russia; so as to include the dismantling of facilities for the development of said nuclear weapons! Such surrender terms shall include verification at the pleasure of NATO inspection personnel.
In the cold and hard view of the industrialized world, China could have Taiwan for ‘the taking’ were it not for the addiction to Taiwan’s production of the world’s most coveted Semiconductors, aka Super Conductors or Computer Chips. China, it seems, simply cannot be trusted with controlling the worlds semiconductor market. Meaning should China choose to annex Taiwan as they have long threatened, the industrialized world would be irreparably harmed!
Therefore, the entirety of the western NATO Allies shall officially notify all non-NATO nations that possess nuclear weapons that within no less than 60 days a trade embargo shall be place upon China, North Korea, India, Pakistan or other non-NATO member nation who is known to possess and or control nuclear weapons and or facilities that build or develop Nuclear weapons. Those nations who agree and began dismantling or disarming their nuclear weapons shall be spared the aforementioned trade embargo.
Finally, after it is verified by the proper NATO Personnel that all non-NATO nations are nuclear weapon free, each NATO nation shall immediately began disarming and or destroying all their own nuclear weapons.
Ideally, within 12 years, Planet Earth shall be free of all nuclear weapons!
An op-ed by TG Fugate, June 2025
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