Latest news with #missileShield
South China Morning Post
28-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
US ‘Golden Dome' risks nuclear war in outer space, North Korea says
North Korea has slammed US President Donald Trump 's 'Golden Dome' missile shield plan as a 'very dangerous' threat that aims to weaponise space, state media reported on Tuesday. Pyongyang's foreign ministry has issued a memorandum calling the system 'a very dangerous 'threatening initiative' aimed at threatening the strategic security of the nuclear weapons states,' the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Trump announced new details and initial funding for the missile shield system last week, calling it 'very important for the success and even survival of our country'. The initiative faces significant technical and political challenges, according to analysts, and could come at a hefty price tag. Projectiles launched by Israel's Iron Dome system intercept rockets fired from Gaza in October 2023. Trump's 'Golden Dome' plan gets its name from Israel's air-defence system. Photo: AP The memorandum by nuclear-armed North Korea accused the United States of being 'hell-bent on the moves to militarise outer space', KCNA said. 'The US plan for building a new missile defence system is the root cause of sparking off global nuclear and space arms race by stimulating the security concerns of nuclear weapons states and turning the outer space into a potential nuclear war field,' it added.
Asharq Al-Awsat
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
North Korea Says US Missile Shield Plans Risk ‘Nuclear War' in Space
North Korea slammed on Tuesday US President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile shield plan as a "very dangerous" threat that could spark nuclear war in space, state media said. Trump announced new details and initial funding for the missile shield system last week, calling it "very important for the success and even survival of our country". The initiative faces significant technical and political challenges, according to analysts, and could come at a hefty price tag. In a statement shared by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang's foreign ministry slammed the "very dangerous 'threatening initiative' aimed at threatening the strategic security of the nuclear weapons states". The United States is "hell-bent on the moves to militarize outer space," the foreign ministry said. "The US plan for building a new missile defense system is the root cause of sparking off global nuclear and space arms race by stimulating the security concerns of nuclear weapons states and turning... outer space into a potential nuclear war field," it added. Washington -- Seoul's key security ally -- has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion. Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP that Pyongyang saw Trump's "Golden Dome" as a threat. "The North's strong reaction suggests it views the Golden Dome as capable of significantly weakening the effectiveness of its nuclear arsenal, including its ICBMs," he said. "If the US completes its new missile defense program, the North will be forced to develop alternative means to counter or penetrate it," he added. - China, Russia modernizing weapons - China has also expressed strong concerns about Washington's Golden Dome plan, accusing the United States of undermining global stability. Beijing is closing the gap with Washington when it comes to ballistic and hypersonic missile technology, while Moscow is modernizing its intercontinental-range missile systems and developing advanced precision strike missiles, according to a 2022 Pentagon review. The Kremlin has said Trump's initiative would require consultations with Russia but was otherwise a "sovereign matter" for the United States, softening its tone after also previously slamming the idea as destabilizing. The plan's Golden Dome name stems from Israel's Iron Dome air defense system, which has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011. The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
North Korea says US missile shield plans risk 'nuclear war' in space
North Korea slammed on Tuesday US President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile shield plan as a "very dangerous" threat that could spark nuclear war in space, state media said. Trump announced new details and initial funding for the missile shield system last week, calling it "very important for the success and even survival of our country". The initiative faces significant technical and political challenges, according to analysts, and could come at a hefty price tag. In a statement shared by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang's foreign ministry slammed the "very dangerous 'threatening initiative' aimed at threatening the strategic security of the nuclear weapons states". The United States is "hell-bent on the moves to militarize outer space," the foreign ministry said. "The US plan for building a new missile defense system is the root cause of sparking off global nuclear and space arms race by stimulating the security concerns of nuclear weapons states and turning... outer space into a potential nuclear war field," it added. Washington -- Seoul's key security ally -- has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion. Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP that Pyongyang saw Trump's "Golden Dome" as a threat. "The North's strong reaction suggests it views the Golden Dome as capable of significantly weakening the effectiveness of its nuclear arsenal, including its ICBMs," he said. "If the US completes its new missile defence programme, the North will be forced to develop alternative means to counter or penetrate it," he added. - China, Russia modernising weapons - China has also expressed strong concerns about Washington's Golden Dome plan, accusing the United States of undermining global stability. Beijing is closing the gap with Washington when it comes to ballistic and hypersonic missile technology, while Moscow is modernising its intercontinental-range missile systems and developing advanced precision strike missiles, according to a 2022 Pentagon review. The Kremlin has said Trump's initiative would require consultations with Russia but was otherwise a "sovereign matter" for the United States, softening its tone after also previously slamming the idea as destabilising. The plan's Golden Dome name stems from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system which has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011. The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
North Korea says US ‘Golden Dome' risks nuclear war in outer space
North Korea has slammed US President Donald Trump 's 'Golden Dome' missile shield plan as a 'very dangerous' threat that aims to weaponise space, state media reported on Tuesday. Pyongyang's foreign ministry has issued a memorandum calling the system 'a very dangerous 'threatening initiative' aimed at threatening the strategic security of the nuclear weapons states,' the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Trump announced new details and initial funding for the missile shield system last week, calling it 'very important for the success and even survival of our country'. The initiative faces significant technical and political challenges, according to analysts, and could come at a hefty price tag. Projectiles launched by Israel's Iron Dome system intercept rockets fired from Gaza in October 2023. Trump's 'Golden Dome' plan gets its name from Israel's air-defence system. Photo: AP The memorandum by nuclear-armed North Korea accused the United States of being 'hell-bent on the moves to militarise outer space', KCNA said. 'The US plan for building a new missile defence system is the root cause of sparking off global nuclear and space arms race by stimulating the security concerns of nuclear weapons states and turning the outer space into a potential nuclear war field,' it added.
Gizmodo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
SpaceX Poised to Profit From Trump's Golden Dome Fantasy
'First buddy' Elon Musk is the frontrunner to build this billion-dollar missile shield. Elon Musk's SpaceX is reportedly chomping at the bit to build Trump's $175 billion 'Golden Dome' defense system, designed to protect the U.S. from foreign missiles 'even if they are launched from the other side of the world.' Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled the first details of the project during an Oval Office briefing on Tuesday, claiming that it can be completed in three years at the cost $175 billion. Both the budget and timeline conflict with a Congressional Budget Office assessment, which estimates that the project could take 20 years and cost $524 billion. This unusually large and complex space shield would consist of a vast network of satellites capable of detecting, tracking, and intercepting incoming missiles, in addition to a smaller fleet of offensive satellites, Reuters reports. The GOP-led budget reconciliation bill, which is progressing to the House for consideration, includes $25 billion to jumpstart the Golden Dome project, according to The Hill. Leaders in aerospace tech are already clamoring to get their hands on a contract, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and—of course—SpaceX. In April, sources told Reuters that Musk's satellite and spaceflight company made a bid to build key parts of the Golden Dome in partnership with two other U.S.-based companies: software firm Palantir and drone manufacturer Anduril. Around that time, these companies pitched their plan to the Trump administration and the Pentagon, which would involve launching potentially more than 1,000 new defense satellites for sensing and tracking missiles, in addition to a separate fleet of 200 attack satellites armed with missiles or lasers, according to Reuters. In a letter sent to Defense Department inspector general Steven Stebbins on May 1, a group of 42 Democratic lawmakers requested a review of the Pentagon's procurement process for the Golden Dome project, citing conflict of interest concerns over this potential deal with Musk. 'All of this raises concerns about whether defense contracts to build a Golden Dome are an effective way to protect Americans or are meant to enrich Mr. Musk and other elites,' they wrote. In addition to generating substantial new revenue for SpaceX and boosting the company's valuation, a Golden Dome contract could give Musk 'unacceptable ongoing leverage' over U.S. national security, the lawmakers warned. The group pointed to SpaceX's proposal to run this defense system via a 'subscription service.' This could allow the company to bypass the Pentagon's procurement rules and exercise unchecked control over the cost and development of the Golden Dome, The Hill reported. 'Mr. Musk could, as he allegedly did in Ukraine, determine when to provide the U.S. government with access to Golden Dome satellite systems,' the lawmakers wrote. Gizmodo reached out to SpaceX for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. Since donating more than $250 million to Trump's election campaign, Musk has become part of the furniture of his administration, serving as a special government employee, senior advisor to the president, and a key official at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It's worth noting that his Golden Dome bidding partners, Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel and Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, are also longtime supporters of Trump. It's hardly the first time Musk's ties to the president have raised concerns. In April, a report from Senate Democrats estimated that he and his companies face at least $2.37 billion in legal exposure due to the many conflicts of interest he has acquired through his work with DOGE. Despite this, it's reasonable to believe that the Pentagon could select SpaceX to lead construction on the Golden Dome. Defense officials may feel that Musk's company is well-positioned to tackle this project for several reasons. For one, SpaceX has launched hundreds of spy satellites over the last five years, and sources told Reuters that several recently launched prototypes could be retrofitted for the project. The company also has experience building satellite constellations through Starlink—a network made up of more than 11,000 satellites. What's more, SpaceX's fleet of reusable rockets could help ensure that the Golden Dome project stays within the tight budget and timing constraints the Trump administration has set for it, though that will still be a herculean task. If SpaceX is not chosen for this task, it's not immediately clear which launch provider could do the heavy lifting. United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur and Blue Origin's New Glenn are both possible contenders, but these heavy-lift vehicles have yet to prove themselves. Depending on the size and weight of the Golden Dome satellites, other U.S. launch providers could conceivably help, including Firefly Aerospace. In February, Firefly signed a $21.8 million contract with the Pentagon to launch a mission under the military's quick-reaction space program, which aims to demonstrate the Space Force's ability to rapidly deploy satellites in an emergency. Even with SpaceX's advantages, it's not clear whether it—or any leading tech company for that matter—could actually pull this project off. No country has ever launched a space-based defense system of this scale before, and it's difficult to predict the amount of time and money it will take to build and deploy this technology. There are geopolitical tensions to consider as well. Today, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the U.S. to abandon the project, stating that Golden Dome will 'heighten the risk of turning space into a war zone and creating a space arms race and shake the international security and arms control system,' ABC News reports. Whether the Pentagon and its future Golden Dome contractors can overcome these hurdles remains to be seen. If SpaceX gets in on the action, it could open up a whole new world of technological, ethical, and legal challenges for Musk.
