Costing $175 billion.. Washington reveals details of the Iron Dome system and its capabilities

SadaNews - The U.S. government has revealed details of the missile defense system known as the "Iron Dome", stating that it will consist of 4 layers - one in space and 3 on the ground - as well as 11 short-range batteries distributed throughout the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.

According to Reuters, the presentation titled "Move Fast, Think Big!" was delivered to 3,000 defense contractors in Huntsville, Alabama last week, revealing unprecedented complexity for the system that the Trump administration aims to complete by 2028.

The estimated cost of the system could reach $175 billion, but the introductory presentation showed that uncertainties still loom regarding the project's infrastructure, particularly due to the lack of determined numbers for launch platforms, intercept missiles, ground stations, and missile sites necessary for the system.

An American official stated, "They have a lot of money, but they do not yet have a goal for the project's cost."

Congress has so far allocated $25 billion for the Iron Dome in Trump's tax and spending bill passed last July. An additional $45.3 billion has also been allocated for the same project in the presidential budget request for 2026.

The Iron Dome is a multi-layered missile defense shield for the U.S., inspired by Israel's Iron Dome, but it is much larger given the geographic area it will need to protect and the complexities arising from the diverse threats it will face.

According to the presentation, the system's architecture consists of 4 integrated layers, which include a space-based sensor and targeting layer for missile warning and tracking, in addition to "missile defense," and 3 ground layers consisting of intercept missiles, radar systems, and possibly laser beams.

One of the surprises was the existence of a new large missile field - apparently in the Midwest according to the map included in the presentation - for the next generation of intercept missiles (NGI) manufactured by Lockheed Martin, which will be part of the "upper tier" alongside THAAD defense systems, also manufactured by Lockheed.