US Unveils Golden Dome Missile Defense System
| Key Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | US President Donald Trump unveiled the revolutionary missile defense system, 'Golden Dome', on May 20, 2025. |
| Purpose | To provide a multi-layered shield against ballistic, hypersonic, and space-based missile threats. |
| Inspiration | Inspired by Ronald Reagan's 1980s 'Star Wars' programme. |
| Components | Space-based interceptors, including orbital lasers, and integration with existing systems like Patriot Missiles, THAAD, Aegis BMD, and Ground-based Midcourse Defence (GMD). |
| Budget | Initial cost: $175 billion; Long-term projections: $542 billion; Initial allocation request: $25 billion. |
| Operational Timeline | Expected to be operational before January 2029. |
| Geopolitical Impact | Russia and China condemned the plan, calling it "deeply destabilising" and a militarisation of outer space. Risks sparking a new arms race in space. |
| Challenges | Technological hurdles in deploying space-based lasers; coordination complexity among US defense agencies; financial burden and potential limited effectiveness against full-scale nuclear strikes. |