Golden Dome faces challenges of size, scope and scale from every angle

The announcement of the Golden Dome missile defense system to protect the United States from missile attacks represented a major shift in defense priorities for the US military — and presents myriad challenges when trying to protect a country the size of the US. The model is Israel’s Iron Dome, but that system covers a relatively small area and mostly protects against traditional ballistic missile attacks. Golden Dome will cover a much larger area, and must be able to counter intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles. All of those requirements add complexity, engineering challenges and cost considerations….