The United States has raised the estimated cost of its "Golden Dome" missile defence system to $185 billion, as it accelerates the development of space-based capabilities to counter emerging threats.
Officials said companies including Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation and Northrop Grumman have joined the programme as key contractors, working on command-and-control systems and advanced tracking technologies.
The system aims to combine ground-based interceptors with satellites capable of detecting and tracking missile threats from space. While the Pentagon says the project will be delivered over the next decade, officials acknowledge that space-based interceptors remain the most challenging and costly element of the plan.
Initiated by Trump's administration in 2025 and aimed at being operational by roughly 2029-2030, it is designed to be an advanced, nationwide version of Israel's Iron Dome, utilizing space-based sensors and interceptors to protect the entire US from advanced threats like hypersonic glide vehicles and intercontinental ballistic missiles.