How Will the Golden Dome Work?

0:00 In May 2025 we got a first hand look at what a missile defense system looks like

0:05 during a major international conflict, when Israel attacked Iran out of the

0:09 blue and prompted a retaliation. This system is often called the Iron Dome,

0:15 but the Iron dome is actually just the lowest and cheapest level of this missile defense system.

0:21 Consisting of 10 batteries, costing around 100 million dollars each, with each missile

0:26 it fires costing around 40,000 dollars, which is actually incredibly cheap in comparison to the

0:32 4 million dollar interceptors used in the United States Patriot missile defense batteries.

0:38 And recently the United States began planning to imitate the marketing of this system,

0:43 rebranding their own system “The Golden Dome”. But there is a problem.

0:48 This is a Qassam Rocket. The most common rocket fired out of Gaza. It's a small rocket that runs

0:54 on sugar and potassium nitrate fertilizer, and this is a hypersonic glide vehicle.

1:00 One costs 800 dollars and was developed by impoverished people within the confines of

1:05 the walls of Gaza, meant to travel unguided a mere 16 kilometers.

1:10 The other can fly from anywhere in the world, reach the limits of space,

1:14 guide itself back down and maneuver inside earth's atmosphere, dodging attacks and

1:18 guiding itself with an incredible degree of accuracy to its target halfway across the earth.

1:24 The high cost of the iron dome system would pale in comparison to a system meant to defend against

1:30 these larger more sophisticated threats. The need for this defence system is hard to justify

1:36 considering the US has never had to defend itself from missile attacks on its own soil.

1:42 So, what is the golden dome system? How will it

1:45 work? And how much can it truly protect a country as big as the United States?

1:55 The Golden dome is expected to counter a wide range of advanced threats,

2:00 including ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and cruise missiles

2:05 The project is expected to cost anywhere between 161 billion and 542 billion over

2:12 a 20 year period. Equivalent to 6 to 27 years of NASA's entire operating budget.

2:20 So how do systems like this work? The Iron Dome was designed to intercept

2:24 rockets and artillery. At the heart of the system is a self

2:28 contained radar capable of detecting and tracking a wide range of threats.

2:32 When a threat is detected, the radar sends the data to a battle management and control unit,

2:38 which quickly calculates the projectile’s trajectory. If the system determines that

2:43 it’s headed toward a populated area or critical infrastructure.

2:46 It responds with a Tamir interceptor,

2:49 which guides itself to the target using the ground radar data and its own optical sensor.

2:55 It's common to call the entire missile defence system, “The Iron Dome” but it's

2:59 just the last part of a multi-layered system. The iron dome only covers the lowest altitude

3:06 layer, with David’s Sling handling medium-range threats and the Arrow

3:09 system managing high-altitude, long-range ballistic missiles.

3:13 It’s this arrow system that is currently under incredible strain as Iran retaliates to Israel's

3:19 attacks, with some missiles getting through as the system is overwhelmed,

3:24 and with interceptor missiles running low, this could get worse.

3:29 With reports that it’s costing Israel 285 million dollars a day to keep the system operational,

3:35 with the arrows system interceptors costing 3 million dollars each.

3:39 One of Iran’s newer missiles is called the Fatah. They label it a

3:43 hypersonic ballistic missile, but that’s a bit of an overstatement.

3:47 The "hypersonic" description of missiles usually refers to highly maneuverable

3:51 rockets that fly low in the atmosphere and are able to shift direction mid-flight.

3:56 The Fatah, by contrast, follows a high arc like a ballistic missile. It does reach hypersonic speeds

4:02 on reentry, but so do most other ballistic missiles. The Fatah can maneuver slightly,

4:07 but it’s not on the same level as a hypersonic glide vehicle.

4:11 The real challenge comes from numbers.

4:13 Iran’s strategy is to overwhelm missile defense by launching 100 to 400 missiles

4:20 at once, along with waves of cheaper drones that clutter radar systems.

4:25 The iron dome also has the advantage that it's defending a small country where cities

4:31 are close together. The missiles and attacks that could be launched against

4:35 the US are much more complex than anything launched against Israel.

4:39 In the event of a war, the U.S. will need to defend against long-range ballistic missiles,

4:44 intercontinental threats, and increasingly, hypersonic weapons.

4:49 The executive order lays out an ambitious plan. It goes beyond building a single defensive wall,

4:55 aiming instead to create multiple layers of protection for the continental United

4:59 States. Each layer is designed to handle different types of threats,

5:04 working together to stop attacks from every angle.

5:07 Parts of the plan focus on upgrading existing missile defense systems and

5:11 integrating them into a unified strategy. Other sections propose bold, and controversial,

5:17 new ideas that could reshape how the U.S. approaches missile defense for decades to come.

5:23 A missile’s flight is split into three key phases. It starts with the boost

5:27 phase. This phase is short, just a few minutes before the missile reaches space.

5:33 Then comes the midcourse phase, where the missile travels through space. This

5:37 is the longest and trickiest part. Some missiles drop decoys or multiple warheads

5:43 and some can even change direction, and defense systems have to figure

5:47 out what’s real and what’s not. The final stretch is the terminal phase.

5:51 The warheads plunge back into the atmosphere, racing toward their

5:55 targets. There’s only a few seconds to react. One mistake, and it’s too late.

6:01 Before any interceptor can be launched, the system has to know a missile is coming. That

6:06 starts with detection. One of the clearest signs is the heat from the missile’s engines

6:12 during the boost phase. This intense heat can be seen by infrared sensors in space.

6:18 The job of watching for these launches falls to the Space-Based Infrared System. Operated

6:22 by the U.S. Space Force, it uses a network of satellites in geosynchronous orbit and

6:28 highly elliptical orbit. These orbits give the satellites persistent coverage

6:32 over key regions of the planet, especially high-latitude areas that are harder to monitor.

6:38 Once a missile is detected, the next critical step is to track its path in real time. By

6:44 watching how it moves, defense systems can quickly figure out where it's going,

6:48 decide if it's a threat, and send interceptors to the right place to stop it.

6:52 This tracking relies on a mix of sensors, some in space, others on the ground. Each plays a role,

6:58 using different technology to follow the missile’s speed, altitude, and direction.

7:02 As the missile progresses through its midcourse and terminal phases,

7:06 ground-based radar systems join in on tracking. There are radar

7:10 stations scattered all over the world, but one stands out most.

7:14 This is the Long Range Discrimination Radar. This futuristic looking phased

7:19 array radar is located in Clear Space Force Station, Alaska.

7:23 Strategically located for maximum field of view in the direction of expected attacks.

7:29 Phased array radar, like those used in the F-35, have hundreds of tiny antennas. We

7:34 can see metal plates set in rows in the F-35 phase array antenna. The metal plates have

7:39 slots cut into them, and each and every one of these slots is an antenna. 1600 in total. This

7:46 allows the phase array antenna to steer its radar using constructive and destructive interference.

7:52 It also allows the radar to track multiple objects by splitting the radar into smaller subsections,

7:58 or combining them all into one huge radar when needed.

8:01 This radar in Alaska is made from gallium nitride because it can handle a huge amount

8:06 of power running through it, while conducting the heat it produces away quickly. This material

8:12 has even made its way into electronics chargers, allowing them to be much smaller,

8:16 doing away with the massive power bricks of old, while enabling incredibly fast charging.

8:22 But in this case it makes for a more efficient radar, with longer range, and higher resolution.

8:27 This is incredibly important because in the midcourse phase of a missile’s trajectory they

8:32 often deploy decoys, which can be as low tech as nuts and bolts, to distract and confuse radar.

8:38 This radar in Alaska is designed to operate at both lower and higher frequencies,

8:43 allowing it to track at longer ranges at low frequencies, and switch to higher frequencies

8:49 to increase the radar resolution, allowing it to better discern decoys from actual threats.

8:55 This is just one of many radars integrated into the space force’s missile defence system with

9:00 others, like the massive floating radar operating out of Honolulu on a self propelled platform.

9:06 Once a missile has been detected and tracked,

9:09 the final and most critical step is interception. These inceptors

9:13 don’t use explosives, but kinetic energy to destroy the warheads, and for good reason.

9:19 First, an explosion could potentially detonate the warhead, which could be nuclear,

9:24 chemical or even biological. The goal is to rip the warhead to shreds and disable it.

9:30 Next, these interceptions can occur at very high altitude where there is little to no air,

9:35 where explosives would be less effective. Not because of lack of

9:39 oxygen. Explosives have all the oxidiser they need in their chemical structure,

9:44 that’s what makes them explosive. But because explosions need air to propagate the blast wave.

9:51 The explosion would only be effective if it was within range of scrapnel or the thermal blast,

9:56 which is incredibly hard to time when your target is veering and steering at hypersonic speeds.

10:02 So, a massive hail storm of hypersonic debris is the chosen method of destruction. For this

10:08 to happen the interceptor needs a way to track and detect its target too.

10:13 Older systems used a spinning disc with alternating dark and light stripes. This

10:17 disc spun in front of an infrared detector. As the target’s infrared signature passes through the

10:22 rotating pattern, it creates a fluctuating signal. If the target was off-center, the signal pulsed in

10:28 and out of phase with the spin. The signal would only remain steady when the target was centered.

10:34 Modern systems use an array of sensitive photodiodes that work more like a camera.

10:39 These detectors are made from indium antimonide, a material especially sensitive to infrared.

10:44 They produce a black and white thermal image, allowing the missile to lock onto the target.

10:49 All of these steps can be neatly packed into a single system too,

10:52 like the Aegis system that is deployed on US Navy Destroyers and Cruisers.

10:58 Aegis land based equivalent is THAAD, and all of these systems share information that create

11:03 a digital 3D battlefield map over the entire planet. Incorporating data from every sensor

11:09 possible, whether it be from satellites, planes, or radar. And this data can even

11:14 be fed into an F-35s augmented reality helmet, so they can see things no other

11:21 pilot can see. So the US already has a pretty robust missile defense system.

11:28 But the executive order for the golden dome seeks

11:31 to increase the coverage of this system significantly,

11:34 and the order contains one specific line that brings more questions than answers.

11:39 It states that the golden dome should protect against countervalue threats.

11:44 A countervalue threat refers to an attack aimed at targets with high civilian, economic,

11:49 or cultural importance, such as cities, industrial centers, or infrastructure. The goal is not to

11:55 disable military forces directly, but to cause maximum psychological, economic, or human damage.

12:02 This marks a shift in priorities, from protecting military assets to defending civilians directly.

12:08 Instead of covering the entire country,

12:10 the plan adds an extra layer of protection around major cities.

12:15 This means that it's now the government's job to start adding priorities.

12:18 Which cities will be covered? What criteria determines whether extra protection is needed? Is

12:23 it population size, if so what's the threshold one million, maybe less. You might not hear about it,

12:30 but one day, a missile defense system could quietly appear in a city near you.

12:35 This approach is similar to the Iron Dome,

12:37 designed to protect specific areas during the final moments of an incoming attack.

12:42 THAAD handles high-altitude threats from long range, but it is not effective at stopping

12:47 low-flying missiles, drones, or cruise missiles. That’s where the Patriot system

12:51 comes in, covering the lower-altitude layer and providing a final shield for high-risk targets.

12:57 Like THAAD and Aegis, the Patriot, uses a phased array radar. What sets it apart

13:02 is its ability to use different types of interceptors. The PAC-3 relies on

13:07 direct impact to destroy incoming missiles, while the PAC-2 detonates near the target,

13:12 creating a cloud of high-speed fragments to take it down.

13:15 In Ukraine, Patriot systems have played a key role in intercepting both ballistic and cruise

13:21 missiles, adding a critical layer to the country’s air defense. But these systems are expensive to

13:27 operate, and their coverage is limited. Each PAC-3 missile costs nearly 4 million dollars, so while

13:33 the system is highly effective, every launch has to be carefully considered.

13:38 These systems are all technically mobile, but they can’t move quickly,

13:41 this is where the F-35 comes in to fill the gap. More than just a fighter jet, it acts as a highly

13:47 mobile node in that digital battlefield map. And it can perform every step of the process too.

13:53 With its advanced radar, the F-35 can detect missile launches in ways that stationary systems

13:58 cannot. It can pick up the heat signature of a missile engine, the faint radar trail of

14:03 a low-flying cruise missile. Because it can fly close or even inside contested airspace,

14:13 it can detect and track these threats earlier than ground-based systems ever could.

14:18 But the F-35 does not stop at just seeing the threat. It shares what it

14:22 knows. In the Golden Dome framework, this aircraft becomes a flying command post,

14:27 using encrypted datalinks to transmit live tracking data to other systems.

14:32 And if needed, the F-35 can do more than pass along the message. It can take the

14:37 shot. Equipped with air-to-air missiles it has the ability to engage and destroy

14:42 missiles mid-flight. Future upgrades may go even further, integrating high-energy lasers

14:48 that could target threats without relying on traditional interceptors. That means fast,

14:52 flexible response options against drones, cruise missiles, or other high-speed threats.

14:58 All of these technologies already existed, but where things get truly controversial

15:03 is where the Golden Dome executive order demands new technologies to be deployed.

15:08 These systems have one major weakness, they all target the threat after the

15:13 boost phase. And because of that, one line in the executive order stands out most.

15:18 The order demands congress to fund the: “development and deployment of

15:22 capabilities to defeat missile attacks prior to launch and in the boost phase”

15:27 That means Golden Dome will need global interceptor coverage,

15:31 and that requires the US to cross a line that many do not want crossed. Weapons in space.

15:38 The only way to guarantee a successful boost-phase interception anywhere in the world is to deploy a

15:45 constellation of interceptors in low Earth orbit, ready to respond instantly to any launch. It’s the

15:52 only approach with the speed and coverage needed to stop a missile at its most vulnerable moment.

15:58 This has been proposed before. Reagan wanted to do it during the cold war and introduced

16:04 projects that were never launched like “rods from god” and “brilliant pebbles”.

16:08 But things have changed since the 80s,

16:11 mainly the launch cost per kilogram has decreased drastically.

16:15 However, this is still one of the most uncertain parts of the proposed system.

16:19 We do not yet know exactly what kind of interceptors would be deployed in space,

16:23 how they would operate, or how effectively they could engage a missile in the boost phase. Or,

16:28 perhaps most importantly, how the world would react to weapons being placed in space.

16:34 To provide global coverage, the satellite constellation would need to be large,

16:38 estimates range from 1,300 to 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.

16:44 While this was deemed impossible in the 1980s, this is now not just feasible,

16:48 it’s already been done.Starlink already has over 7,000 satellites in orbit. However,

16:54 an interceptor satellite would be more complex and expensive than a communication satellite.

17:00 The working mechanism of the interceptors is still up for

17:03 debate but we can look at the past to guess what the future might look like.

17:07 Brilliant Pebbles was proposed in the 1980s. Consistenting of

17:11 a central kinetic strike vehicle surrounded by fuel and oxidizer

17:15 tanks that would power the weapon to its target before falling away.

17:19 In orbit the interceptor would have remained inside a protective shell called the "life

17:23 jacket," which included solar panels, a star tracker, and a laser communications system.

17:29 The project was cancelled during Bill Clinton’s presidency due to inadequate funding. Putting

17:34 what are essentially air to air missiles in space, would not go down well in the

17:38 international community, especially as there is no guarantee the US wouldn’t use them for

17:43 offensive purposes, but perhaps there is another less egregious way to achieve this goal. Lasers.

17:49 Lasers destroy targets by focusing high-energy beams of light onto a small area, rapidly heating

17:55 the surface until it weakens, melts, or explodes. This process can disable critical components like

18:01 guidance systems or fuel tanks, causing the missile to break apart or veer off course.

18:07 The energy travels at the speed of light, allowing for near-instant engagement once

18:11 the laser is aimed and locked on. Incredibly useful for fast moving hypersonic targets

18:17 The US has already tested an airborne high powered laser attached to a Boeing 747.

18:23 The system successfully demonstrated its ability to shoot down ballistic

18:26 missiles in the boost phase by heating and rupturing their structure mid-flight.

18:31 So instead of shooting down missiles with other missiles,

18:34 these satellites could include lasers to burn up missiles instead.

18:38 However this system would need a lot of power. The US Navy’s Helios laser, installed on the

18:44 USS Prebble, is a 60 kilowatt laser, but that’s the output power, not the power draw.

18:50 It’s expected that a spacebound laser would need anywhere between 250 kilowatts to 1

18:54 megawatt. 250 kilowatts is around the maximum power generation of the international space

19:00 stations massive solar arrays, but their average power barely satisfies half that power need.

19:07 And we would need thousands of these in low earth orbit. However with launch costs lowering there

19:12 are several companies right now that want to place massive solar arrays into geosynchronous orbit and

19:18 then transfer power from these centralized solar arrays to where it’s needed with microwaves with

19:24 much high power densities. So, in theory, a secondary power layer constellation,

19:30 at a higher orbit, could allow these satellites to be smaller, operating at lower stand by power

19:36 settings, until the laser was needed, at which time power could be directed to them.

19:41 But, needless to say, this isn’t going to be a popular solution either. Experts question whether

19:47 such a complex, global missile defense network can realistically be built on the proposed timeline.

19:52 The initial budget estimate of $175 billion is already being challenged.

19:58 Other more realistic budgets project the cost could exceed $542 billion

20:03 over the next 20 years, raising concerns about long-term feasibility and funding.

20:08 At a time when major political battles are being waged over US debt,

20:12 including between the primary launch provider’s CEO and the president.

20:17 The project’s first $25 billion is tied to a broader $150 billion defense package,

20:22 which is still making its way through Congress. Without that funding,

20:26 the Golden Dome could face early delays or scaling back. Just as it did in the 1990s.

20:32 There are also geopolitical risks. China has strongly objected,

20:36 warning that the Golden Dome has “offensive implications” and could

20:39 trigger an arms race in space. Russia has echoed those concerns.

20:44 And not to mention, these countries have anti-satellite weapons and are likely willing to

20:49 use them if needed. Which could cut off space for the entire planet if a battle was waged in orbit,

20:55 which again, I think we can agree, isn’t worth the cost to start wars none of us want.

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