【By Observer News, Yuan Jiaqi】
Soon after taking office this year, U.S. President Trump announced a missile defense system development plan named "Golden Dome," aimed at building a satellite network to detect, track, and intercept incoming missiles. The system is said to be completed within three years.
According to a report by British media Reuters on the 13th, a U.S. government PowerPoint (PPT) presentation on the project revealed that "Golden Dome" will include four layers of systems, one based on satellites and three deployed on land. Among them, 11 short-range missile launchers will be distributed across the U.S. mainland, Alaska, and Hawaii.
According to the report, last week in Huntsville, Alabama, more than 3,000 defense contractors viewed the PPT titled "Go Fast, Think Big!" It stated that the system architecture of "Golden Dome" consists of four integrated layers: a space-based sensing and target acquisition layer for missile warning and tracking as well as "missile defense"; and three terrestrial layers, including missile interceptors, radar arrays, and possibly laser weapons.
Reuters reported that it was "unexpected" that the map in the PPT seemed to show that the U.S. military plans to build a large new missile launch site in the Midwest to deploy the next-generation interceptor (NGI) developed by Lockheed Martin, and it would be combined with the THAAD anti-missile system and the Aegis combat system manufactured by Lockheed Martin to form what is called the "upper-level defense."
The NGI project is part of the U.S. Department of Defense's plan to "use the initial line of defense against long-range ballistic missile threats," aiming to develop a new type of land-based interceptor for the U.S. Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. It will carry multi-target kill vehicles via a new booster, supporting the enhancement of U.S. homeland defense capabilities.
The U.S. already has GMD launch sites in southern California and Alaska. According to the PPT, "Golden Dome" also plans to add a third launch site in the Midwest.
According to the report, the last line of defense, known as the "lower layer" and "limited area defense," will also include new radars and existing systems, such as a combination of the Patriot anti-missile system and a new "universal" launcher, capable of launching current and future interceptors to deal with all types of threats. The report states that these modular and re-deployable systems aim to reduce reliance on fixed locations, enabling rapid deployment in multiple battlefields.
On May 20, Trump announced the construction of the "Golden Dome" at the White House, Visual China
The PPT mentioned other technical challenges, including communication delays throughout the entire "kill chain." Contractors such as Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Boeing can provide various missile defense systems, but coordinating communication between these systems is a key bottleneck.
Additionally, the PPT stated that "Golden Dome" seeks to develop space-based interceptors with boost-phase interception capabilities. Although the U.S. has "already built interceptors and re-entry vehicles," it has never manufactured a vehicle that can withstand the heat of re-entering the atmosphere while targeting an enemy missile.
It is worth noting that this PPT did not mention Elon Musk's SpaceX. U.S. media reported in April that the company, along with representatives of the "new military-industrial complex" such as Palantir and Anduril, jointly bid for the 'Golden Dome' contract. Musk responded by saying that SpaceX "has not tried to bid for any related contracts, we prefer to focus on sending humans to Mars."
After the public feud and complete split between Trump and Musk in June, there were reports that the Trump administration is committed to reducing its reliance on SpaceX for U.S. military communications and is expanding efforts to find partners to build the "Golden Dome" system, attracting Amazon and major defense contractors.
Two sources revealed that even before Trump and Musk had a falling out, U.S. Defense Department and White House officials had already begun exploring alternatives to SpaceX, concerned about over-reliance on a single partner in the $17.5 billion "Golden Dome" system.
However, the PPT showed that the basic framework of the project still faces uncertainties, and the number of launchers, interceptors, ground stations, and missile launch sites required for the system remains undetermined. An American official told Reuters, "They have substantial funds, but they haven't determined cost targets yet."
The Pentagon claimed that it is "collecting information from industry, academia, national laboratories, and other government agencies to support the 'Golden Dome' plan," but it is "unwise" to release more information at the early stage of the project.
On May 20 local time, Trump announced at the White House that he had selected a design plan for the "Golden Dome" system and appointed General Michael Guetlein of the U.S. Space Force as the chief project manager for the plan. U.S. media reported that the plan was widely seen as the "cornerstone" of Trump's military plan, aimed at preventing so-called threats from China and Russia.
Two days later (on the 22nd), Stephen Whitening, commander of the U.S. Space Command, added fuel to the fire at a forum in Chicago. He exaggerated the so-called "space threat" posed by China, claiming it was becoming increasingly "real and urgent," and that "Golden Dome" was a response to this so-called threat.
On July 17, Guetlein was confirmed by the Senate to lead the project and have broad authority. Two informed sources revealed that according to instructions from Defense Secretary Austin, Guetlein had 30 days to form a team, 60 days to submit an initial system design, and 120 days to submit a complete implementation plan including details of satellites and ground stations.
If the "Golden Dome" plan is implemented, the U.S. will deploy weapons in space for the first time. As Michael C. Dorf, a law professor at Cornell University, said, "Golden Dome is the worst Star Wars sequel ever."
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning previously responded that the so-called "Golden Dome" plan aims to build a global, multi-layered, and multi-domain missile defense system without any constraints. The plan openly proposes a significant increase in space-based combat means, including the development and deployment of orbital intercept systems, which has a strong offensive nature. It violates the principle of peaceful use of outer space advocated by the Outer Space Treaty, exacerbates the risk of space militarization and arms race, and undermines international security and military systems.
Mao Ning stated that the U.S. adheres to "national priority" and is obsessed with pursuing absolute security for itself, violating the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised, damaging the global strategic balance and stability. China is seriously concerned and urges the U.S. to abandon developing and deploying a global anti-missile system as soon as possible, and take concrete actions to enhance strategic mutual trust among major powers and maintain global strategic stability.
Major General Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, also pointed out that the U.S. is pushing forward the deployment of "Golden Dome" and other space-based weapon systems, continuously expanding its space forces, and provoking a space arms race. This violates the principles of the Outer Space Treaty, increases the risks of space militarization and arms race, undermines international security and arms control systems, and once again opens the Pandora's box. This also proves that the U.S. is the biggest driver of weaponization and militarization of outer space. We urge the U.S. to stop expanding its military buildup in space and take concrete actions to maintain global strategic stability.
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7537922463758434842/
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