Trump Unveils $175 Billion “Golden Dome” Missile Defense Shield:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Donald Trump's remarks on Tuesday provided more insight on the ‘Golden Dome’ project, which seeks to establish a missile defense system for the country, claiming it would be functional within three years.

During the address at the White House, the President said, ‘I pledged to build one of the world’s best missile defense systems and we’ve now locked in the design.’ Trump also said he planned to allocate 25 billion dollars in initial funding, with estimates of total costs reaching 175 billion dollars.

In his claims, the Golden Dome would be capable of intercepting missiles from space, as well as missiles that have already passed the U.S. “America needs this type of system for guaranteed survival,” he continued. Guetlein, the U.S. Space Force General, will be in charge of the undertaking. Trump noted that Canada is also likely to participate in the investment.

The CBO is providing claims that the scope for a space-placed missile intercepting system will land somewhere between 161-542 billion dollars over the span of two decades.

The Golden Dome seeks to surpass traditional forms of defense. Trump highlighted that it will apply new technologies over land, sea, and even space, using sensors and interceptors that will potentially be placed in orbit. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth further remarked that the system aims to defend against numerous different types of threats including cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, and nuclear weapons.

Golden Dome is named after Israel’s Iron Dome which has intercepted thousands of short-range threats since 2011, while still trying to expand its reach to more sophisticated long-range threats. Unlike the Iron Dome which has a regional focus, this system is meant to protect against intercontinental and space-based threats.

Attention from the Pentagon regarding the increasing threat from Russian and Chinese forces was published in the U.S. 2022 Missile Defense Review. Beijing is advancing with hypersonic and ballistic missile technology, while Moscow is modernizing its long-range missile capabilities. Increased dangers regarding drones and missiles have also been identified from other countries, including North Korea and Iran.

Russia along with China has reacted strongly to the announcement. The Kremlin has warned it may lead to deep militarization in space, dubbing the plan as “deeply destabilizing”. A collective statement calls it an enablement of combat operations in orbit.

Regardless of international worries, the US armed forces have gained hands-on experience in missile and drone defense. American equipment has aided Ukraine in defending against Russian missile attacks, while US naval and air forces have been instrumental in Israel’s defense and in countering strikes from Yemen’s Huthi rebels.