Latest news with #spaceWeapons
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Canada is talking to the US about joining its ‘Golden Dome' missile defense system, Carney says
TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday his government is talking to the U.S. about joining President Donald Trump's future Golden Dome missile defense program . The multilayered, $175 billion system would for the first time put U.S. weapons in space. Trump said the previous day he expected the system to be fully operational by the end of his term in 2029.
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
China says Donald Trump's Golden Dome plans risk weaponising space
China says it is "gravely concerned" by Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defence system plans, warning it could weaponise space. The US president on Tuesday, local time, announced that a design had been selected for the aerial shield plan. It aims to create a network of possibly hundreds of satellites to detect, track and intercept incoming projectiles. "It will protect our homeland," Mr Trump said, adding it should be operational by the end of his term in January 2029. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily briefing that "China is gravely concerned" by the plans and that it would "hurt global strategic balance and stability". "It plans to expand the US arsenal of means for combat operations in outer space, including R&D and deployment of orbital interception systems," Ms Mao said. "The project will heighten the risk of turning the space into a war zone and creating a space arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system. "This is yet another 'America First' initiative that puts the US's absolute security above all else." The Pentagon has warned for years that new missiles being developed by China and Russia are so advanced that better defence mechanisms are necessary. In a joint statement earlier this month, China and Russia called the Golden Dome idea "deeply destabilising in nature," warning it would turn "outer space into an environment for placing weapons and an arena for armed confrontation". The Golden Dome system was inspired at least in part by Israel's Iron Dome system, which has provided land-based protection from missiles and rockets since 2011. It's envisioned that the Golden Dome system will have both ground and space-based capabilities that can identify and stop missiles at four major stages of a potential attack: The US president said the system would be able to intercept missiles "launched from the other side of the world, or launched from space". The head of the US Space Force, General Chance Saltzman, told politicians in Washington on Tuesday that the space-based weapons planned for the system "represent new and emerging requirements for missions that have never before been accomplished by military space organisations". Mr Trump's announcement on Tuesday, alongside US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, marks the start of the testing and purchasing phase for the system. The US Congressional Budget Office estimated that just the space-based components could cost as much as $US542 billion over the next 20 years. An initial $US25 billion for the program has been requested by Mr Trump in his proposed tax break bill now moving through Congress. The specifics of the final system are yet to be released publicly, with US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink telling senators on Tuesday that the project is "still in the conceptual stage". Experts have told the BBC and New York Times the scale of the Golden Dome will create significant technological challenges to implement in comparison to the Iron Dome, which covers a much smaller area. Canada was also interested in the Golden Dome plan. A statement from the office of Prime Minister Mark Carney said it had been raised during discussions about a new security and economic relationship. "These discussions naturally include strengthening NORAD and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome," it said. China's foreign ministry added on Wednesday, local time, that Golden Dome violated the Outer Space Treaty (OST), which outlines a framework for law in space. The OST prohibits countries from putting nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction into orbit on celestial bodies or stationing them in space. Christopher Newman, a professor of space law and a policy expert at Northumbria University, told the ABC any plan with space-based weapons would attract attention. He said whether or not Golden Dome violated the OST would come down to its final design and the extent of its space-based weapons. "We need a lot more flesh on the bones on what Golden Dome is going to look like and what the technical requirements are, and then we can start thinking about the legality," he said. "I think it's going to be technology and engineering (challenges) that's going to prevent it (going ahead), rather than law and diplomacy," he said. ABC/wires
Washington Post
21-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump's 'Golden Dome' missile defense plan was inspired by Israel's multitiered defenses
JERUSALEM — U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for a 'Golden Dome' to protect the United States from long-range missiles was at least partly inspired by Israel's multitiered missile defenses. Trump announced the $175 billion concept in the Oval Office on Tuesday, saying it would put U.S. weapons in space for the first time and be would be 'fully operational' by the end of his term in early 2029, though a U.S. official familiar with the program said it could take longer.
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Trump selects concept for $175 billion ‘Golden Dome' missile defense system
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced the concept he wants for his future Golden Dome missile defense program — a multilayered, $175 billion system that for the first time will put U.S. weapons in space. Speaking Tuesday from the Oval Office, Trump said he expects the system will be 'fully operational before the end of my term,' which ends in 2029, and have the capability of intercepting missiles 'even if they are launched from space.' It's likelier that the complex system may have some initial capability by that point, a U.S. official familiar with the program said. Trump, seated next to a poster showing the continental U.S. painted gold and with artistic depictions of missile interceptions, also announced that Gen. Michael Guetlein, who currently serves as the vice chief of space operations, will be responsible for overseeing Golden Dome's progress. Golden Dome is envisioned to include ground- and space-based capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack: detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target. For the last several months, Pentagon planners have been developing options — which the U.S. official described as medium, high and 'extra high' choices, based on their cost — that include space-based interceptors. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to detail plans that have not been made public. The difference in the three versions is largely based on how many satellites and sensors — and for the first time, space-based interceptors — would be purchased. The Congressional Budget Office estimated this month that just the space-based components of the Golden Dome could cost as much as $542 billion over the next 20 years. Trump has requested an initial $25 billion for the program in his proposed tax break bill now moving through Congress. The Pentagon has warned for years that the newest missiles developed by China and Russia are so advanced that updated countermeasures are necessary. Golden Dome's added satellites and interceptors — where the bulk of the program's cost is — would be focused on stopping those advanced missiles early on or in the middle of their flight. The space-based weapons envisioned for Golden Dome 'represent new and emerging requirements for missions that have never before been accomplished by military space organizations,' Gen. Chance Saltzman, head of the U.S. Space Force, told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday. China and Russia have put offensive weapons in space, such as satellites with abilities to disable critical U.S. satellites, which can make the U.S. vulnerable to attack. Last year, the U.S. said Russia was developing a space-based nuclear weapon that could loiter in space for long durations, then release a burst that would take out satellites around it. Trump said Tuesday that he had not yet spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Golden Dome program, 'but at the right time, we will,' he told reporters at the White House. There is no money for the project yet, and Golden Dome overall is 'still in the conceptual stage,' newly confirmed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told senators during a hearing Tuesday. While the president picked the concept he wanted, the Pentagon is still developing the requirements that Golden Dome will need to meet — which is not the way new systems are normally developed. The Pentagon and U.S. Northern Command are still drafting what is known as an initial capabilities document, the U.S. official said. That is how Northern Command, which is responsible for homeland defense, identifies what it will need the system to do. The U.S. already has many missile defense capabilities, such as the Patriot missile batteries that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine to defend against incoming missiles as well as an array of satellites in orbit to detect missile launches. Some of those existing systems will be incorporated into Golden Dome. Trump directed the Pentagon to pursue the space-based interceptors in an executive order during the first week of his presidency.
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Trump selects concept for $175 billion ‘Golden Dome' missile defense system
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has announced the concept he wants for his future Golden Dome missile defense program — a multilayered, $175 billion system that for the first time will put US weapons in space. Speaking Tuesday from the Oval Office, Trump said he expects the system will be 'fully operational before the end of my term,' which ends in 2029, and have the capability of intercepting missiles 'even if they are launched from space.' It's likelier that the complex system may have some initial capability by that point, a US official familiar with the program said. Trump, seated next to a poster showing the continental US painted gold and with artistic depictions of missile interceptions, also announced that Gen. Michael Guetlein, who currently serves as the vice chief of space operations, will be responsible for overseeing Golden Dome's progress. Golden Dome is envisioned to include ground- and space-based capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack: detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target. For the last several months, Pentagon planners have been developing options — which the US official described as medium, high and 'extra high' choices, based on their cost — that include space-based interceptors. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to detail plans that have not been made public. The difference in the three versions is largely based on how many satellites and sensors — and for the first time, space-based interceptors — would be purchased. The Congressional Budget Office estimated this month that just the space-based components of the Golden Dome could cost as much as $542 billion over the next 20 years. Trump has requested an initial $25 billion for the program in his proposed tax break bill now moving through Congress. The Pentagon has warned for years that the newest missiles developed by China and Russia are so advanced that updated countermeasures are necessary. Golden Dome's added satellites and interceptors — where the bulk of the program's cost is — would be focused on stopping those advanced missiles early on or in the middle of their flight. The space-based weapons envisioned for Golden Dome 'represent new and emerging requirements for missions that have never before been accomplished by military space organizations,' Gen. Chance Saltzman, head of the US Space Force, told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday. China and Russia have put offensive weapons in space, such as satellites with abilities to disable critical US satellites, which can make the US vulnerable to attack. Last year, the US said Russia was developing a space-based nuclear weapon that could loiter in space for long durations, then release a burst that would take out satellites around it. Trump said Tuesday that he had not yet spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Golden Dome program, 'but at the right time, we will,' he told reporters at the White House. There is no money for the project yet, and Golden Dome overall is 'still in the conceptual stage,' newly confirmed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told senators during a hearing Tuesday. While the president picked the concept he wanted, the Pentagon is still developing the requirements that Golden Dome will need to meet — which is not the way new systems are normally developed. The Pentagon and US Northern Command are still drafting what is known as an initial capabilities document, the US official said. That is how Northern Command, which is responsible for homeland defense, identifies what it will need the system to do. The US already has many missile defense capabilities, such as the Patriot missile batteries that the US has provided to Ukraine to defend against incoming missiles as well as an array of satellites in orbit to detect missile launches. Some of those existing systems will be incorporated into Golden Dome. Trump directed the Pentagon to pursue the space-based interceptors in an executive order during the first week of his presidency.
