Source: DD News
Context: U.S. President has unveiled the Golden Dome Missile Defense System design and appointed a leader for the $175 billion project, aiming to shield the U.S. from foreign missile threats.
About Golden Dome Missile Defense System:
- What It Is?
-
- A next-generation U.S. missile defense program using space-based and land-based intercept layers to neutralise missile threats.
- Envisioned as a technological leap beyond Israel’s Iron Dome and Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
- Aim:
-
- To eliminate the threat of enemy ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles before they reach U.S. territory.
- Enhance national security by integrating space, land, and advanced sensor networks.
- How It Will Work?
-
- Space-Based Intercept Layer – Hundreds of satellites detect and destroy missiles during the boost phase using interceptors or lasers.
- Enhanced Ground-Based Midcourse Defense – Upgraded interceptors in California and Alaska engage missiles mid-flight.
- Five Additional Launch Sites – Intercept threats in space; three in mainland U.S., two in Hawaii and Alaska.
- Limited Area Defense Layer – Protect key population centres with radars, common launchers, and systems like Patriot.
- Key Features:
-
- Multi-layered defense: space-based, midcourse, boost-phase, and terminal protection.
- Capable of engaging ICBMs, hypersonic weapons, and cruise missiles.
- Global detection via advanced Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Satellites.
- Collaboration with private sector firms like SpaceX, Palantir, Anduril, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, RTX.
- Significance:
-
- National Security Shield – Offers comprehensive protection against emerging missile threats.
- Technological Advancement – Builds on Iron Dome success but extends to global, multi-threat defense.
