President Donald Trump has signed an executive order initiating the development of a missile defense system modeled after Israel’s renowned Iron Dome. This initiative aims to create a “state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield” to protect the United States from various aerial threats.
The order emphasizes the need to protect against evolving threats from ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, as well as other advanced aerial attacks.
The Iron Dome, developed by Israel in collaboration with the United States, has been instrumental in intercepting and neutralizing short-range rockets and artillery shells, particularly those launched by groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Its success has made it a model for missile defense systems worldwide.
The order specifically mandates the Secretary of Defense to devise a detailed implementation plan within 60 days, which includes:
- Developing a reference architecture for a next-generation missile defense shield.
- Accelerating the deployment of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor layer.
- Enhancing space-based interceptors capable of boost-phase intercept.
- Strengthening underlayer and terminal-phase intercept capabilities.
- Building a secure supply chain for critical components with advanced security and resilience features.
To ensure the directive’s effective execution, the order also requires a joint submission from the Secretary of Defense and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to plan for funding. This will be crucial for integrating the defense upgrades into the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget.
Furthermore, in collaboration with U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Northern Command, a revised assessment of the missile threat to the homeland will be conducted, along with identifying priority locations for defense against nuclear threats.
The order directs a review of the current theater missile defense posture to enhance collaborative efforts in missile defense with U.S. allies and partners. This review aims to bolster defense capabilities not just for the U.S. but also for allied troops and territories.
The order clarifies that its implementation will adhere to existing laws and will be subject to available appropriations. It also explicitly states that it does not create any enforceable rights or benefits against the U.S. government or its entities.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the urgency of this project, stating that the administration is moving swiftly to implement the president’s directives.
New York Post reported:
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday the Pentagon will pursue an Iron Dome-style missile defense system for the United States, fulfilling a campaign promise by President Trump.
Walking into the five-sided building for the first time as leader of the American military, Hegseth told reporters they could expect a flurry of executive orders from Trump, 78 — including one that would order the deployment of a system similar to that used by the Jewish state, which blasts ballistic missiles out of the sky with an accuracy rate of roughly 90%.
“Today, there are more executive orders coming that we fully support, on removing DEI inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of COVID mandates, Iron Dome for America,” he said. “This is happening quickly.”
Iron Dome maker Rafael — which is tied to the Israeli government — has told The Post that there are ways in which its system could be adapted to protect a nation the size of America.
A similar system for the US could use a new technology dubbed the “Iron Beam,” which uses directed energy to neutralize ballistic missiles rather than launching defense rockets, Haifa-based company Elbit Systems — which produces lasers for the Iron Beam — told The Post last month at one of its facilities.
Israel has other systems that also work alongside the Iron Dome as part of the country’s renowned air defense — including the Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere and can intercept long-range missiles, as well as David’s Sling, which was designed to intercept medium-range missiles.
Those systems, due to their capabilities against longer-range projectiles, may also be possible to incorporate in the US.
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