The Golden Dome missile defense shield project initiated by President Donald Trump could cost about $1.2 trillion over 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), far exceeding the Pentagon’s previous projection of $185 billion.
The CBO estimate released on Tuesday encompasses the cost of developing, deploying, and operating the system over two decades. The acquisition costs are expected to exceed $1 trillion, with the space-based interceptor layer, a network of 7,800 satellites, accounting for roughly 70% of the total expense.
The project aims to bolster ground-based defenses, including interceptor missiles, sensors, and command-and-control systems. It also plans to incorporate space-based elements to detect, track, and potentially neutralize incoming threats from orbit.
The system is designed to defend the entire U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii, against regional threats such as North Korea. However, the CBO warned it may not be able to handle a large-scale attack from major powers like Russia or China.
Golden Dome Advances Amid Cost Debate
An executive order signed in January 2025 established the Golden Dome initiative, aiming to deploy a comprehensive U.S. homeland missile defense system by 2028. Since its launch, the project has continued to advance through a series of ongoing developments.
In April, the U.S. Space Force selected a dozen companies to design and demonstrate space-based interceptor prototypes for the Golden Dome missile shield, with deliverables due by 2028. Some of the selected firms include Anduril Industries, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp. (NYSE:BAH), General Dynamics Mission Systems, a unit of General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE:GD), Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT), Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC), RTX Corp. (NYSE:RTX), the parent of Raytheon and Elon Musk‘s SpaceX.
Just a month later, Anduril partnered with K2 Space and Voyager Technologies (NYSE:VOYG) to jointly develop, test, and deploy advanced solutions for the U.S. Space Force’s Space-Based Interceptor (SBI) program.
Meanwhile, the project’s cost has been a point of contention. As of March, the cost of the Golden Dome surged to $185 billion, a $10 billion increase from the initial cost. This recent estimate by the CBO further escalates the cost debate.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor.
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