The Trump Administration has aimed to maintain secrecy around the planning of the Golden Dome, the President’s costly missile-defense system intended for the U.S. and potentially Canada. However, details continue to surface.
Since Donald Trump initiated plans for the shield in May, following an order issued early in his second term, the Pentagon has attempted to keep its development confidential. This reportedly included preventing officials from discussing it at a recent military-industrial conference and requesting organizers to exclude it from the main agenda. Organizers stated they were instructed to confine Golden Dome discussions to a private summit held alongside the main conference, inaccessible to the press.
An individual, who questioned the practicality of the Golden Dome, found it “strange” that the ambitious and expensive project was being kept “silent” at the 2025 Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Ala. They noted that this event is typically where the government communicates its plans and aligns science, industry, and the military.
Even former military officials have expressed confusion over the secrecy. Ret. Army Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, who previously commanded the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, stated, “We gotta be able to talk about it.”
Karbler emphasized the need to inform the American public about the intentions for Golden Dome, share the architecture with the industry, and communicate the required roles to the services. He stressed the importance of effective communication.
A Defense Department official stated that releasing more information on the program at this stage would be “imprudent” due to “operational security.” The Washington Times suggested the secrecy might be due to concerns about espionage, particularly from rival nations.
Despite these efforts, a government-prepared slideshow, presented to defense contractors at the industry summit, has revealed new information about the Golden Dome plans.
Here’s what that presentation and other reports have revealed about the project so far.
Four ‘integrated’ layers
In May, Trump described the Golden Dome as a network of missiles, satellites, and sensors capable of intercepting missiles from any location. According to slides obtained by Reuters, this network will consist of four layers.
One layer, located in space, would be responsible for sensing and tracking missiles to provide warnings. It would also be involved in “missile defense,” although specifics were not provided. The U.S. has considered space-based missile interceptors, which pose significant technological challenges.
The three land-based layers would include ground missile interceptors, radar arrays, and potentially lasers. Reuters reported that an “upper layer” would feature Next Generation Interceptors (NGIs) and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Aegis ballistic missile systems, developed by Lockheed Martin. An “under layer” and “Limited Area Defense” would serve as the final defense, incorporating new radars, the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC), and a new, unspecified “common” launcher.
A missile field in the Midwest
The Dome is expected to include a new missile field in the Midwest to house Lockheed Martin’s NGIs, in addition to the existing Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) launch sites in California and Alaska.
According to a fact sheet, the GMD is the U.S.’s “sole hit-to-kill defense” against intercontinental ballistic missiles. It is designed to counter missile attacks during their midcourse phase, but is not intended to defeat more sophisticated attacks from Russia or China.
No mention of Elon Musk’s Space X
Reuters noted that the slides did not mention Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which, along with Palantir and Anduril, had previously competed for Golden Dome contracts before a falling out between Musk and the President.
Since Trump and Musk’s relationship deteriorated, the Trump Administration has distanced itself from Musk’s companies, and major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing have positioned themselves as potential contractors for the project.
A scheduled 2028 test date
Additional details have emerged beyond the Reuters slides. Sources have indicated that the Pentagon has scheduled the first major test of the Golden Dome missile-defense system for the fourth quarter of 2028, shortly before the presidential election. The test is expected to involve the Golden Dome’s sensors and weapons systems.
While this aligns with Trump’s initial timeline, many remain doubtful about its achievability. An anonymous defense official told CNN that significant funds could be spent trying to make the system work, only for it to potentially fail to meet testing requirements or achieve its intended purpose.
Canada removes hurdles to join Golden Dome
Canada has reportedly taken steps to potentially join the Golden Dome project with the Trump Administration. The Ottawa Citizen reported that Canada’s Defense Minister David McGuinty stated that outdated restrictions and obstacles were removed during a July visit to the North American Aerospace Defense Command headquarters in Colorado.
McGuinty told the paper that the threat environment has significantly changed and Canada needs to be prepared.
Trump had previously stated that Canada would need to pay billions to participate in the Golden Dome, but could join at no cost if it ceded its sovereignty to the U.S. and allowed the U.S. military to operate within its borders.
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