May 29, 2025, 6:15 am
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In the 1980s, the U.S. announced an ambition to build a space-based missile shield that could intercept Soviet ICBMS and make nuclear weapons functionally ‘obsolete.’
It never happened.
The technology wasn’t there, the costs would have been astronomical and there was always a risk of the Soviets out-scaling the system.
After the Cold War ended, U.S. homeland missile defence efforts refocused on rogue and minor actors like North Korea.
Now, with the announcement of "Golden Dome’, it appears that the U.S. is once again expanding its missile defence ambitions. And so today we look at what’s been announced and funded, how it might work, and the brutal economics of complex missile defence.
Patreon:
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Reading and Sourcing:
Iron Dome for America Executive Order:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/the-iron-dome-for-america/
Related fact sheet:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-directs-the-building-of-the-iron-dome-missile-defense-shield-for-america/
Secretary Hegseth Statement on Golden Dome
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4193417/secretary-of-defense-pete-hegseth-statement-on-golden-dome-for-america/
My video on Hypersonic weapons as mentioned in video
Space Force officials say it’s too early to pin down Golden Dome costs
Space Force officials say it’s too early to pin down Golden Dome costs
Lockheed Martin – Golden Dome for America
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/missile-defense/golden-dome-missile-defense.html
CBO on Cost Estimates for Space Based Interceptors
https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-05/61237-SBI.pdf
Reporting on Golden Dome Option Selection
https://apnews.com/article/golden-dome-missile-defense-trump-space-e74d637feac06edcfde79214d8acf179
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/20/trump-golden-dome-price-tag-00360876
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/05/trump-golden-dome-cost-175b-be-ready-three-years/405474/
General Guetlein on MTI sats
https://www.defensenews.com/space/2024/09/04/space-force-to-field-sensors-for-tracking-air-ground-targets-in-2030s/
CRS – Hypersonic Missile Defence
https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IF/PDF/IF11623/IF11623.16.pdf
"The Scaled-Down Look of Star Wars’ – Article from 1989
US Layered Homeland Missile Defence Fact sheet – 2020
https://media.defense.gov/2020/Jun/22/2002319425/-1/-1/1/LAYERED-HOMELAND-MISSILE-DEFENSE-FINAL.PDF
RAND – The U.S. China Military Scorecard 2015
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR392.html
National Research Council – Making Sense of Ballistic Missile Defense An Assessment of Concepts and Systems for U.S. Boost-Phase Missile Defense in Comparison to Other Alternatives
(2012)
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13189/making-sense-of-ballistic-missile-defense-an-assessment-of-concepts
U.S. Japan agreement on hypersonic defence
https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2024/05/15/us-and-japan-sign-agreement-to-co-develop-hypersonic-interceptor/
Reporting on HGPI
https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2024/09/26/pentagon-makes-early-pick-for-hypersonic-interceptor-developer/
American Physical Society Panel on Public Affairs – Strategic Ballistic Missile Defense CHALLENGES TO DEFENDING THE UNITED STATES
https://www.aps.org/publications/reports/strategic-ballistic-missile-defense
Reporting on Poseidon
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-produces-first-nuclear-warheads-poseidon-super-torpedo-tass-2023-01-16/
https://news.usni.org/2022/07/08/doomsday-submarine-armed-with-nuclear-torpedoes-delivers-to-russian-navy
Caveats & Comments:
All normal caveats and comments apply. In particular – I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other similar decisions.
Any content relating to the conduct, views, activities or any aspect of any person or character in this video is included for entertainment purposes and does not represent an assertion of fact on those matters or any matters in relation to that person or character.
Care has been taken in compiling data, quotes, and other inputs from various sources but errors can occur. Quotes and included data should be considered illustrative, not definitive and their veracity should not be relied on.
Timestamps:
00:00:00 — Opening Words
00:01:58 — What Am I Talking About?
00:04:08 — America’s Iron Dome?
00:13:38 — What Do We Know?
00:19:17 — More Ambitious Asks
00:38:12 — High-end Defence
00:39:42 — Missile Defence Math
00:54:05 — Going Back to Boost Phase
01:02:02 — What if It Worked?
01:05:15 — Channel Update
Content Creator – Perun
