What is Trump's Golden Dome defence system? Know all about America's $175 billion missile shield

US President Donald Trump revealed new details about the "Golden Dome," designed to shield the country from nuclear and non-nuclear threats. The $175 billion missile defense system, which will place American weapons in space for the first time, is expected to become operational by the end of Trump's term in office.

Canada has also showed interest in joining the initiative. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that his government and US is in advanced phase of talks regarding the participation in the proposed Golden Dome missile defense initiative.

Let's take a closer look at the Golden Dome.

What is Golden Dome?

The highly ambitious missile defense initiative is aimed towards enhancing the United States' security by offering protection against a wide array of missile threats. Golden Dome will the first ever weapon system to be deployed in space by the US. This will be marked as a significant leap in technological advancement for the country’s defense capabilities.

The Golden Dome is inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, which has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets since 2011. Here are the key features of the US Golden Dome:

• It will be designed to defend the US from multiple types of missile threats, including cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, and drones, whether conventional or nuclear.
• The multilayered defense system will not only combine ground-based but also space-based components, which will work together to detect, track, and destroy missiles at different stages of their flight, preventing them from hitting their targets.
• The system will be capable of intercepting missiles before launch, during mid-flight, and at the final stages of their approach to a target.
• Once installed, it will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from the other side of the globe or from space itself.
• The project will involve next-generation technologies deployed across land, sea, and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors.
• The Golden Dome will be aimed at countering emerging threats from countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, as well as other non-state actors considered a threat by the US.

The Pentagon’s chief, Pete Hegseth, confirmed that the Golden Dome would integrate with existing ground-based missile defense systems to create a comprehensive and multilayered shield against a range of missile threats.

Who will lead the project?

The system will be led by US Space Force General Michael Guetlein, who will manage the development process, with the U.S. Space Force playing a central role in its execution.

According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, the space-based components alone could cost up to $542 billion. However, as of now, Trump has announced initial funding of $25 billion for the project, with the final cost expected to eventually total around $175 billion.

Timeline of project

Trump aims to have the Golden Dome operational by the end of his term in office, by 2029. Although, funding and technology are significant challenges that lie ahead in this project.

The project is considered to be ambitious but is still in the conceptual phase, with no clear funding in place to match the full scale of the initiative. The Pentagon is still planning the system’s requirements and much of the system’s architecture.

A source told CNN in March that technologically, the concept of Golden Dome is not entirely unrealistic. However, it remains untested and is currently more of a "concept." "Right now, Golden Dome is, it’s really an idea." .

China and Russia concerned

China and Russia have strongly condemned the US's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system, calling it "deeply destabilizing" and warning it could turn space into a "battlefield."

In a joint statement, they said the project would significantly expand the arsenal for space-based combat and undermine global strategic stability. Despite the criticism, President Trump insists the system is vital for national defense.