The Golden Dome: A Bold Vision or an Overambitious Dream? | Opinion

President Donald Trump has unveiled the $175 billion “Golden Dome,” a proposed U.S. missile defence system inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, aiming to neutralise missile threats—including hypersonic weapons—through a space-based shield by 2029.

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In a grand announcement from the White House on May 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his plan for the "Golden Dome"—a massive missile defence system aimed at shielding the United States from growing missile threats, especially from nations like China and Russia.

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With an estimated price tag of $175 billion, this ambitious project has sparked both hope and controversy. Drawing inspiration from Israel’s Iron Dome, Trump’s Golden Dome is pitched as a futuristic shield. But what exactly does it promise—and is it achievable?

What is the Golden Dome?

According to Trump, the Golden Dome is a next-generation missile defence system designed to protect the U.S. from a wide range of threats—ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and even hypersonic weapons. What sets it apart is its space-based strategy. Instead of relying solely on land or sea defences, this system would deploy satellites, space sensors, and even laser interceptors.

Trump has vowed that the Golden Dome will be fully operational by January 2029, before the end of his current term. He has appointed General Michael Guetlein of the U.S. Space Force to lead the programme. States like Alaska, Florida, Georgia, and Indiana—with existing defence and aerospace infrastructure—are expected to play key roles.

Trump claims this new shield will be a “game-changer,” capable of neutralising missile attacks even from space. Canada has reportedly expressed interest in joining, but Trump insists that any partner nation must also pay to be protected. The U.S. has allocated $25 billion to kick off the project, but the Congressional Budget Office warns the full cost could spiral up to $831 billion over 20 years.

How Does It Compare to Israel’s Iron Dome?

While inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, the Golden Dome is far more ambitious.

The Iron Dome—active since 2011—is designed to protect a small country like Israel from short-range rockets and artillery shells. It uses ground-based radars and interceptors, and each successful interception costs around $50,000. Supported financially by the U.S., the Iron Dome has saved countless lives by neutralising thousands of incoming rockets, particularly from Hamas and Hezbollah.

In contrast, the Golden Dome aims to defend an entire continent. The U.S. is 450 times bigger than Israel, and the Golden Dome is meant to counter far more complex threats like ICBMs and hypersonic missiles. It will use a space-based network—not ground systems—making it significantly more expensive and technically challenging.

Trump says his plan is “far more advanced” than Israel’s Iron Dome. But critics point out that scaling up a system like Iron Dome to cover a nation as vast as the U.S. is an entirely different challenge.

What Trump Has Said

Trump has repeatedly called the Golden Dome a national priority, stating during his Oval Office address: “This is very important for the success and even survival of our country.”

He stressed that the system would be built entirely in the U.S., creating jobs in states like Indiana, where companies like L3Harris are already expanding their missile-tracking capabilities.

Referencing Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars” missile defence concept from the 1980s, Trump said Reagan had a similar vision but lacked the required technology—something that is now available.

However, his three-year timeline has been met with skepticism. Many experts believe the system may take decades to develop fully. Trump also hinted that companies like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Palantir, and SpaceX might be involved, though he did not name any officially.

This raised concerns among Democrats, especially around Elon Musk’s growing influence, prompting some lawmakers to call for greater oversight and transparency.

The Big Questions

While the Golden Dome sounds visionary, several key challenges must be addressed:

• Cost: $175 billion is just a starting point. Could this money be better spent on pressing issues like healthcare or education?
• Technology: The Golden Dome depends on space-based interceptors and lasers—technologies still in the experimental stage.
• Timeline: Building such a complex system in just three years is widely viewed as unrealistic.
• Geopolitical Tensions: Critics argue that such a system could provoke an arms race. Rivals like China and Russia may respond with more sophisticated missiles, pushing global security into dangerous territory.
• Unlike the Iron Dome, which is purely defensive and localized, the Golden Dome’s space-based weapons could be perceived as provocative, especially given Trump’s statements about placing weapons in space.

What Does This Mean for India and the World?

For India, the Golden Dome highlights the growing role of missile defence in modern warfare. India is developing its own systems like the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) and Advanced Air Defence (AAD), but these are still under evolution.

The Golden Dome’s focus on hypersonic and space-based threats could encourage India to accelerate its own research, especially amid rising regional tensions. But India must also remain cautious. If the U.S. system heightens conflict with China, India may face new geopolitical pressures.

Final Thoughts

The Golden Dome is a bold but risky venture. It promises unmatched protection, but comes with enormous financial, technical, and diplomatic risks.

Israel’s Iron Dome has proven its effectiveness on a smaller scale. Scaling up such a defence shield to protect the United States—a country vastly larger, with far more complex threats—is a monumental challenge.

As Trump presses forward, the world will be watching closely. Will the Golden Dome become a revolutionary leap in missile defence—or will it remain just a golden dream?

Girish Linganna is an independent observer of global affairs. He writes on defence, geopolitics, and technology with a focus on simplifying complex issues for the general public.