The Pentagon has completed the development of the Golden Dome missile defense plan, but the cost has not been announced
US Space Force General Michael Gatlin has completed the development of a plan for the US Golden Dome missile defense system, but the Pentagon has refused to provide any details on the cost of the system, Bloomberg reports.
According to the agency, US President Donald Trump previously stated that a total of $175 billion could be spent on the defense system. However, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the total cost of the "Golden Dome" at $542 billion over 20 years.
It will be a "very expensive program," Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson said last month, adding that the system is "very critical and important" and it would be "not necessary" to provide a detailed cost estimate.
The goal of Golden Dome is to expand the number and complexity of threats the United States can counter. To do this, it plans to integrate several new elements into the existing missile defense system.
Critics point to the project's astronomical cost and complexity. According to Todd Harrison, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, the cost can vary depending on the number of threats, their types, the level of geographic coverage and other indicators.
The Golden Dome is currently being inspected, but no details have been provided yet.
"It is currently undergoing review and no additional information is available at this time, keeping operational security top of mind," the Pentagon said in a statement.
At the same time, General Gatlin stated that he was given 60 days to develop it.
"Basically, I’ve been given 60 days to come up with the objective architecture," he said in July at a space innovation conference.
Earlier it was reported that Donald Trump announced the "Golden Dome". According to the US President, it will be put into operation within three years. The American leader also emphasized that all components of the project will be manufactured in the USA, creating thousands of high-tech jobs.