The Golden Dome air defense system presented by US President Donald Trump could cost up to 1.2 trillion dollars, according to estimates. That’s according to a new analysis by the US Congressional Budget Office published on Tuesday. The original amount, which the head of the White House stated last year, was $175 billion. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AP agency.
Trump ordered the construction of the modern system shortly after taking office in January of last year. He expected it to be completed before the end of his second term, in early 2029. “The development, deployment and operation of a national missile defense system with capabilities broadly matching those outlined in (Trump’s) order would cost approximately $1.2 trillion over 20 years,” it is written in the analysis of the independent office.
It is impossible to estimate long-term costs, according to the report, because the Ministry of Defense did not provide sufficient data on how many systems will be deployed. According to Reuters, the planned American anti-missile shield should intercept various types of missiles, including ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles. It should include ground and space capabilities. According to the AP, its concept is partly inspired by Israel’s multi-layered defense system, often referred to as the Iron Dome.
