What is US ‘state of art’ Golden Dome? How is it different from Israel's ‘Iron Dome’? | Explained

Under the 2.0 administration, US President Donald Trump has reshaped domestic and foreign policy through trade deals, diplomacy, immigration regulations, and executive orders.

In a speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Trump called for funding to build a massive "Golden Dome" missile defence system nationwide and pledged to balance the federal budget.

“All made in USA”

As reported by the Associated Press, Trump said, “As commander in chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future. As a first step, I’m asking Congress to fund a state of the art “golden dome” missile defence shield to protect our homeland. All made in the U.S.A.”

Trump noted that Ronald Reagan wanted to do it long ago, but the technology wasn’t there. “Not even close. But now we have the technology. It’s incredible, actually,” he said.

Also Read: From Fattah-2 to Ghadr: Iran’s hacks to penetrate Israel’s Iron Dome—How Tehran pulled off air defense heist

“And other place — they have it. Israel has it. Other places have it. And the United States should have it, too, right? Kim. Right. They should have it, too. So I want to thank you, but it’s very, very important. This is a very dangerous world. We should have it. We want to be protected, and we’re going to protect our citizens like never before,” Trump stressed.

As with any administration, Congress will now have to do some heavy lifting, beginning with the massive tax cut and border bill Trump seeks to pass.

What is the Golden Dome?

Golden Dome aims to create a comprehensive, multi-layered defence system against hypersonic and cruise missile threats, integrating space-based interceptors and advanced tracking technologies.

“To make the ‘Golden Dome’ viable, the focus must shift from traditional ground-based defences to a distributed, space-based, AI-driven network. This would involve space-based sensors, autonomous tracking, and decentralised interception nodes, enabling real-time, adaptive protection across a much larger area. While technology has advanced significantly since Reagan’s SDI, integrating these capabilities into a cohesive, scalable, and cost-effective national defence system remains a formidable challenge,” Kiran Raju, CEO & Founder, Indrajaal Drone Defence India told LiveMint.

Space News reported, citing Michael Guetlein, that recent operations influence the planning for the Golden Dome in the Middle East. Following Iran’s missile strikes against Israel last year, US forces, including warships and aircraft, helped intercept many threats while providing real-time intelligence and early warnings to Israel.

Also Read: Israel-Palestine war: How Hamas breached most advanced ‘Iron Dome’ with rocket attack

Inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, the US version is designed to protect the entire US territory from advanced missile threats on a much larger scale. Space-based sensors are identified as critical components, with an executive order directing the Department of Defense to explore the potential deployment of space-based interceptors that would launch in response to attacks, reported Space News.

The Missile Defense Agency is leading efforts to collaborate with defence industry partners to assess technological capabilities. Due to the system’s reliance on space technologies, the U.S. Space Force is expected to play a central role.

Key Developments:

1. Accelerate deployment of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor layer.

2. Develop and deploy space-based interceptors for boost-phase intercept.

3. Deploy underlayer and terminal-phase intercept capabilities to counter value attacks.

4. Build a Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture custody layer.

5. Implement capabilities to defeat missile attacks pre-launch and during the boost phase.

6. Secure the supply chain with next-gen security and resilience.

7. Develop non-kinetic capabilities to augment missile defence.

Strategic Assessments: The White House said in an official release that it will prioritise locations for defence against nuclear adversaries' counter-value attacks.

Meanwhile, the name “Iron Dome” was replaced by “Golden Dome”, reportedly to reduce confusion with Israel’s missile defence system. Israel’s Iron Dome is only a ground-based system used to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells.

How is the Golden Dome different from Israel's Iron Dome?

Objective:

Golden Dome will protect against a broader range of missile threats, including those from peer and near-peer adversaries like hypersonic missiles.

Iron Dome is optimised for defending against smaller-scale regional missile threats, focusing on civilian protection within Israel's borders.

Scale and Scope:

Golden Dome protects the entire US territory from advanced missile threats, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles. It aims for a broader, multi-layered defence system.

Also Read: What is Iron Beam? Israel heralds ‘new era in warfare’ with high-power missile defence laser

Iron Dome is primarily focused on intercepting short-range threats, like rockets and artillery shells, specifically defending Israel from regional threats.

Technology and Deployment:

Golden Dome incorporates space-based interceptors, advanced tracking systems, and capabilities to defeat missile attacks before launch or in the boost phase, utilising space technologies.

Iron Dome uses ground-based radars and interceptors to target incoming short-range threats within Israel's defence perimeter.

Also Read: Donald Trump suggests nuclear peace agreement with Iran

Earlier in February, Trump had reaffirmed his commitment to escalating economic sanctions on Iran, reigniting his “maximum pressure” campaign against the country. Trump signed a memorandum to reimpose sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear program, a policy reminiscent of his previous presidency.

(With inputs from agencies)