Gen. Michael Guetlein, director of the Golden Dome initiative, said the Department of War has increased the program’s cost estimate by $10 billion to $185 billion to speed up the development of space-based capabilities designed to defend the homeland from aerial threats, Breaking Defense reported Tuesday.
The discussion around Golden Dome’s expanding scope and space-based priorities comes as defense leaders prepare to convene at a key industry forum this summer. The 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30 will bring together government and industry experts to explore emerging capabilities and strategic initiatives shaping the future of air and space defense. Save your spot now!
“We were asked to procure some additional space capabilities, so we are at $185 billion for the objective architecture,” Guetlein, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, said Tuesday at the McAleese Defense Programs conference.
What Are the Other Space Capabilities Being Pursued by DOW?
The Pentagon is advancing several key space-related systems as part of the Golden Dome effort, with a focus on accelerating development timelines. These include the Airborne Moving Target Indication capability, the Space Data Network and the Hypersonic Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor.
Guetlein said accelerating the development of space-based interceptors remains a challenge, noting that the issue is not the technology itself but the ability to scale it affordably.
What Is Golden Dome?
Golden Dome is a homeland defense initiative focused on building a multi-layered system to counter hypersonic, ballistic and cruise threats through advanced sensors, data networks, space capabilities and interceptors.
A U.S. government slide presentation released in August 2025 revealed that the next-generation missile defense shield will have four layers: one will be a space-based sensing and targeting layer to serve as a missile warning and tracking system, while the other three will feature ground-based radar arrays, lasers and missile interceptors.
In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to build the Golden Dome for America, which had an initial cost estimate of $175 billion.
In May 2025, Trump selected Guetlein, then vice chief of space operations, to lead the Golden Dome project.
How Does the MDA SHIELD Vehicle Support Golden Dome?
The Missile Defense Agency has awarded companies positions on the potential 10-year, $151 billion Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense, or SHIELD, contract vehicle through several tranches. In January, 340 companies won spots on the vehicle, expanding the competitive pool to more than 2,400 awardees.
SHIELD is designed to support a broad range of activities tied to layered homeland defense, including research and development, systems engineering, experimentation, prototyping, modernization and sustainment, with task orders incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning-enabled applications.
