Trump's 'Golden Dome' missile defense project to cost $1.2T
What's the story
US President Donald Trump's ambitious missile defense project, dubbed the "Golden Dome," is expected to cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years, a new report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has revealed. The estimate is significantly higher than the initial projection of $175 billion for development, deployment and operation over two decades. The CBO's analysis suggests that acquisition costs alone would exceed $1 trillion, including the interceptor layers and a space-based missile warning and tracking system.
Risks
Project could be vulnerable to Russian, Chinese attack
The CBO report also warned that the Golden Dome could be vulnerable to a full-scale attack from Russia or China. Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley criticized the project as a "The President's so-called 'Golden Dome' is nothing more than a massive giveaway to defense contractors paid for entirely by working Americans." Despite such concerns, Congress has already approved roughly $24 billion for the missile defense initiative through Republicans' massive tax and spending measure signed into law last summer.
Project details
Golden Dome designed to counter 'next-generation' aerial threats
The Golden Dome is designed to counter "next-generation" aerial threats using land, sea, and space technologies. It includes space-based sensors and interceptors capable of intercepting missiles from across the globe. SpaceX and Lockheed Martin have been contracted to develop prototypes for the system at a cost of up to $3.2 billion. The project is partly inspired by Israel's Iron Dome defense system, which protects against missile attacks from Iran and allied militant groups.
Costs
Project's cost estimates may not reflect affordability focus
General Michael A. Guetlein, director of the project, testified that cost estimates are often based on legacy systems and may not accurately reflect the project's affordability focus. The CBO's estimate also includes potential costs for space-based components which could reach up to $542 billion over 20 years. To note, Trump had envisioned the Golden Dome to be fully operational by January 2029.