CBO Estimates Golden Dome Missile Defense Could Cost $1.2 Trillion

Severity: Low (Score: 39.0)

Sources: Defensescoop, Defenseone, www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org

Summary

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the Golden Dome missile defense system could cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years, significantly exceeding the $185 billion budgeted by the Trump administration. This estimate is based on a notional missile defense architecture outlined in an executive order from 2025. The CBO report indicates that over half of the costs are attributed to space-based interceptors, which are crucial for the system's effectiveness. The report suggests that while the system may defend against limited threats, it could be overwhelmed by a large-scale attack from peer adversaries. The administration's current budget will not cover the comprehensive capabilities envisioned in the executive order, leading to concerns about the feasibility of the Golden Dome project. The Pentagon has received additional funding to support the program, but details on the specific systems involved remain scarce. The CBO's findings were requested by Senator Jeff Merkley and reflect a significant increase from previous estimates. Key Points: • CBO estimates Golden Dome missile defense costs at $1.2 trillion over 20 years. • The current budget of $185 billion is insufficient for the proposed capabilities. • Space-based interceptors account for over half of the projected costs.

Key Entities

• China (country)
• North Korea (country)
• Russia (country)
• United States (country)