BBC
The US has selected a design for the futuristic “Golden Dome” missile defence system, says President Donald Trump, adding that it will be operational by the end of his time in office.
Just days after returning to the White House in January, Trump unveiled his intentions for the system, aimed at countering “next-generation” aerial threats to the US, including ballistic and cruise missiles.
An initial sum of $25bn (£18.7bn) has been earmarked in a new budget bill – although the government has estimated it could end up costing 20 times that over decades.
There are also doubts about whether the US will be able to deliver a comprehensive defence system for such a huge land mass.
Officials warn that existing systems have not kept pace with increasingly sophisticated weapons possessed by potential adversaries.
A briefing document recently released by the Defense Intelligence Agency noted that missile threats “will expand in scale and sophistication”, with China and Russia actively designing systems “to exploit gaps” in US defences.
