How this latest American ‘Space-Based’ defence system is inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, capable of…

President Trump proposed a US version of Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system, getting inspiration from its effectiveness.

The Iron Dome has played a major role in Israel’s defence during conflicts with Hamas, intercepting and destroying thousands of rockets and missiles. Recently, Israel’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced a major breakthrough in the Iron Dome defence system. Operational since 2011, the Iron Dome is a key component of Israel’s layered air and missile defence, alongside the Arrow and David’s Sling systems.

Golden Dome

President Trump proposed a US version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system, getting inspiration from its effectiveness. A week after swearing in as the US President, Trump announced his plan to develop ‘100% made in the USA” missile defence system – dubbed as “Iron Dome for America.”

The Pentagon renamed Trump’s National Missile Defence Initiative, changing its name from “Iron Dome for America” to “Golden Dome for America.”

History of America’s Missile Defence Ambition

The idea of a powerful missile defence system is not new for America. In 1983, then-President Ronald Reagan pitched the idea of a protective system capable of shielding the US from ballistic missile strikes.

The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), popularly known as “Star Wars,” was a program designed to create cutting-edge air defence systems. However, its goals were ultimately unattainable due to the limitations of existing technology. Now, President Trump is reviving Reagan’s vision

During his 2024 election campaign, Trump vowed to develop a ‘made in America’ Iron Dome.

Following the 2019 sale of two Iron Dome missile defence batteries to the US, a first for Israel, former President Trump is now advocating for a significantly more expansive US missile defence system. This proposed system, described as a “virtual dome,” aims to create comprehensive protection against a wide range of missile threats, including ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles.

President Trump has instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to develop a plan for a new missile defense system within two months. This plan will be incorporated into the 2026 budget proposal. The initiative is partly inspired by the success of Israel’s Iron Dome system, a U.S.-supported project launched in 2006.

How “Golden Dome” Will Differ From Israel’s Iron Dome?

• As per reports, the way Iron Dome works for Israel, the Golden Dome will not work for the United States due to differences in size, threats, and strategic requirements.
• Notably, Iron Dome is designed to shield a small country like Israel from short-range rocket attacks and some cruise missiles.
• America is 490 times larger that Israel, hence, defending the entire nation with the Golden Dome would require more than 24,000 units. The defence system will cost an estimated USD 2.5 trillion — much more than the current US military budget.
• Current US early warning and interceptor systems are mainly focused on threats from smaller countries with nuclear weapons, such as North Korea, rather than larger-scale attacks.
• As per The White House, the “Golden Dome” will be developed to destroy wider range of threats such as Ballistic missiles, Hypersonic weapons, and Advanced cruise missiles.