President Trump says Indiana will have role in 'Golden Dome' missile defense project
Indiana defense organizations are expected to play a role in building President Donald Trump's multibillion-dollar missile defense shield dubbed the "Golden Dome."
The project stems from an executive order Trump signed in January directing construction of a defense shield similar to Israel's "Iron Dome." The defense system would protect the U.S. from ballistic, hypersonic and advanced cruise missiles along with "other next-generation aerial attacks."
During an Oval Office announcement on May 20, Trump and U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, said Indiana would be involved in building the Golden Dome. Banks, during remarks, specifically named defense contractor L3Harris, which has a space manufacturing site in Fort Wayne, and the Crane naval base in southern Indiana, which helps research and develop war technologies.
"Indiana is going to help you make it," Banks told Trump about the Hoosier State's role with the Golden Dome. "The space satellites that are made in Fort Wayne, Indiana, by L3Harris, all the work done at Crane Navy base in southern Indiana, is going to be a big part of it. And Hoosiers are very proud of that."
Trump responded, saying that Indiana's input in the project would be "a big factor." Banks, a strong Trump supporter, was one of three Republican senators in the Oval Office for the announcement.
IndyStar reached out to L3Harris and Crane about their involvement in the Golden Dome project but did not immediately receive a response.
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About $25 billion for the Golden Dome is set aside in Trump's budget, which is working its way through Congress. Trump said the total cost of the project would be $175 billion and would be completed by the end of his term in 2029. But an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office puts the high end of the cost for such a project at more than $500 billion over 20 years.
Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.
Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar politics and government reporters.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Trump says Indiana to have role building 'Golden Dome' missile shield
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