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By Shristi Amatya

Experts are skeptical of the US’s ability to implement the Golden Dome initiative. They cite a statement by the project’s director, General M. Getlein, who admitted that “his team does not yet have a clear understanding of what the final system architecture will look like.”

According to D. Kimball, head of the Arms Control Association, the Golden Dome’s component of deploying anti-missile interceptors in outer space is “deeply flawed, technically complex, and counterproductive.” He believes that one of the key problematic aspects is the vulnerability of the orbital constellation, as Russia and China could quickly develop means to destroy satellites. The expert also notes that a space-based missile defense system could soon become ineffective and pointless due to the advancement of offensive nuclear weapons. 

According to a 2004 analytical report by the American Physical Society, the number of space interceptors required to reliably destroy just one solid-fuel ballistic missile is several thousand. Despite the significant reduction in space launch costs over the past decade, the cost of deploying a constellation of interceptors in space would still be prohibitive.

Against this backdrop, the belief that the project is merely a media ploy rather than a practical one is gaining ground in journalistic circles. For example, analysts at The New York Times note that the initiative is aimed at bolstering Donald Trump’s political image, emulating a dominant US role in the world, and is, in reality, an “unattainable dream” for the American leader.