Washington DC, May 21: On Tuesday, May 20, US President Donald Trump unveiled his administration's USD 175 billion large-scale missile defence initiative, the "Golden Dome." Notably, Trump appointed US Space Force General Michael Guetlein for what he described as a "Manhattan Project-scale" initiative. The US President also said the "Golden Dome" missile defence system will be fully operational in under three years.

Golden Dome Initially Dubbed 'Iron Dome for America'

Sharing more details about the "Golden Dome", Donald Trump said that the project would protect the entire continental United States, including Canada, from aerial threats from other countries and even from space. The US President further said that the "Golden Dome" defence shield will integrate seamlessly with their existing defence capabilities. The "Golden Dome" project marks a substantial evolution from what was initially announced as the "Iron Dome for America" in Donald Trump's administration's first week. Elon Musk-Run SpaceX Leading Contender To Build Donald Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Defence System To Detect Threats, Says Report.

Donald Trump Announces Golden Dome Missile Defence Shield Project

In February, the Pentagon renamed the project "Golden Dome", reportedly due to trademark concerns with Israel's existing Iron Dome system. It is worth noting that the "Golden Dome", which will be America's new missile defence system, derives its name from Israel's "Iron Dome" system. Notably, Israel's "Iron Dome" system has already been battle-tested during the country's conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. That said, it's important to know how America's "Golden Dome" will be different from Israel's "Iron Dome".

Difference Between America's 'Golden Dome' and Israel's 'Iron Dome'

One of the major differences between them is the fact that Israel's Iron Dome has been built to intercept slow-moving missiles and rockets, which have a short range. On the other hand, the missile threat to the United States is vastly different. It is worth mentioning that the size of the landmass between Israel and the US, which needs to be protected, is very different. According to NPR report, Israel is easy to defend as it is more than 400 times smaller than the United States. Another major difference is countering targets with America's Golden Dome being made to tackle long-range threats, as opposed to Iron Dome's short-range threats.

Golden Dome Will Tackle Long-Range Threats

According to Donald Trump's plan, the Golden Dome will target threats such as cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones and even space-based threats. A key major difference between the Iron Dome and the Golden Dome will be the interception of targets. While Israel's Iron Dome intercepts rockets near their target, the Golden Dome, on the other hand, will aim to neutralise the threats during their earliest possible stage, i.e. during the boost phase, when enemy missiles are about to be launched. Donald Trump Unveils USD 175 Billion ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Defence Plan for US.

Unlike Israel's "Iron Dome," which will identify rockets and determine their risk, America's "Golden Dome" is being built to counter intercontinental threats from countries such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Donald Trump also described the "Golden Dome" missile defence system as "very important for the success and even survival" of America. He also said that the cutting-edge missile defence shield will protect the homeland from the threat of foreign missile attack.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 21, 2025 11:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).