"President Donald Trump hasn't talked much lately about Golden Dome, his much-ballyhooed defense initiative that he claimed could shoot down enemy missiles as they darted toward U.S. territory, thus transforming-in some ways, ending-the nuclear era."
"Maybe that's because a consensus has emerged that the program is doomed to failure except as a giant sinkhole for money to defense contractors."
"The author, AEI senior fellow Todd Harrison, writes, "As long as its requirements are undefined, Golden Dome can cost as much or as little as policymakers are willing to spend.""
Golden Dome is a proposed missile-defense initiative claimed to intercept enemy missiles approaching U.S. territory, potentially transforming or ending the nuclear era. Cost estimates vary widely: a conservative AEI study projects $252 billion to $3.6 trillion over 20 years depending on program scope, while a presidential claim put the cost at $175 billion and completion by term end. The program is budgeted at $25 billion this year and may draw similar funding annually. Four decades of missile-defense efforts have spent roughly $400 billion with no militarily useful outcome, raising doubts about technical feasibility and potential contractor-driven spending.
Read at Slate Magazine
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