Media: Pentagon finalises Golden Dome space missile defence plan Details remain secret

The Pentagon has finalised plans for the Golden Dome space-based missile defence system, but is refusing to disclose its scope and cost, Bloomberg reports.

The Pentagon announced that Space Force General Michael Gatlin had led the completion of an ambitious 'Golden Dome' missile defence plan.

The new defence format aims to expand the number and complexity of threats the United States can address by integrating several new elements into the existing missile defence system.

Officials only know that the project’s cost is likely to be significant.

President Donald Trump previously stated that the program could cost approximately $175 billion. Meanwhile, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the space interceptor network alone could cost the United States $542 billion over the next 20 years.

A Pentagon spokesman noted that the program is "very expensive, but critically important," as it will allow the United States to repel complex threats from space.

Critics note that implementing the project will pose a major technical challenge because the military has never deployed interceptor missiles in space.

Analyst Todd Garrison emphasises that even minor changes to the system's parameters could increase costs by hundreds of billions of dollars.

The Golden Dome program risks becoming one of the most ambitious and controversial US defence projects in recent years, combining cutting-edge technology with colossal financial risks.

By Khagan Isayev