U.S. "Golden Dome" could cost $1 trillion
American authorities view the allocation of $185 billion for the creation of the "Golden Dome" missile defense system as a military necessity due to the threat of hypersonic weapons.
The Financial Times reported this, citing the head of the project, U.S. Space Force General Michael Guetlein.
In a letter to the publication, he stated that the United States faces threats from hypersonic weapons, low-flying cruise missiles, modern submarines operating near American shores, as well as autonomous drone swarms. According to him, weapons in low Earth orbit are capable of striking any point on the globe unexpectedly.
Guetlein believes that the Pentagon's projected expenditures of $185 billion on the "Golden Dome" through 2035 are not only a military necessity but also "reasonable economic insurance" given the potential threat from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.
At the same time, as the FT notes, key questions about the program's ultimate cost, its technical feasibility, and strategic value remain unanswered so far. Most of the proposed system remains classified, and the U.S. administration is not disclosing details of its design and capabilities.
The Pentagon has repeatedly refused the U.S. Congressional Budget Office's requests for a briefing on the creation of the "Golden Dome." Based on its own estimates, the office projects that the cost of the program could exceed $1 trillion — roughly six times more than the military department's estimate.
It was reported earlier that the American military plans to conduct the first tests of the missile defense system this year, and to begin flight tests as early as 2027.
