Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, head of the Golden Dome missile defense program, told lawmakers Wednesday that space-based interceptors – a key element of Golden Dome – could be excluded from the final design due to their potential cost.
During a House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee hearing, Guetlein emphasized that affordability is the top priority for the program, which aims to create a multi-layered missile defense system. While space-based interceptors were touted as a centerpiece of the program, Guetlein hinted that their cost may not align with budget constraints.
“What we do not know today is ‘Can I do it at scale and can I do it affordably? That’s going to be the huge challenge for boost-phase intercept,” he said. “If we cannot do it affordably, we will not go into production.”
The Golden Dome program, launched under an executive order in January 2025, is intended to defend the United States from advanced missile threats, including hypersonic weapons. Initially projected to cost $175 billion, the program’s price tag has risen to $185 billion, with completion now expected by 2035, seven years later than originally planned.
Golden Dome received $25 billion in funding from last year’s reconciliation bill.
While Guietlin reaffirmed the $185 billion price tag, some outside analysts, including the American Enterprise Institute, have estimated the cost of the program could reach trillions of dollars.
Guetlein has disputed these figures, noting they reflect a much larger and more complex system than what Golden Dome aims to build. Guetlein suggested that other options, such as a kinetic midcourse interceptor, could be viable alternatives if space interceptors prove unfeasible.
Democratic critics of the program, including Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., expressed skepticism over Golden Dome’s feasibility.
“It is clear to me now that the reality does not match what President Trump has promised to the American people,” Moulton said, referring to President Donald Trump’s promise of an “impenetrable shield.”