US President Donald Trump has said he needs Greenland for his planned missile defense shield “Golden Dome for America.”
“The United States needs Greenland for national security purposes,” President Trump wrote on his social media platform Truthsocial last week. “It’s extremely important for the Golden Dome that we’re building,” he added, adding that NATO should help the U.S. acquire the island because an alliance with the U.S. would be “much more formidable.”
According to a US executive order signed last May, President Trump’s Golden Dome defense system will protect the country from the threat of foreign missile attacks.
President Trump claims the Golden Dome can shoot down hypersonic, ballistic, and advanced cruise missiles and drones, even if launched from the other side of the world or from space.
Here’s what we know so far about the Golden Dome project, including who is working on the project and what weapons may be involved.
Which weapons can be used in Golden Dome?
Reports in September said Golden Dome could incorporate “some or all” of the United States’ current missile defense systems in sensing, interception and command. reportFrom the United States Congress.
The report lists several technologies that the United States already possesses that could be integrated into the Golden Dome, including long-range, space-based, and early warning radar systems.
The dome could incorporate U.S. ballistic missile defense capabilities, such as the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system and the Patriot system, which can intercept cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons and large drones, according to a congressional report.
The report also notes that the Trump administration “has not publicly provided a comprehensive picture of the systems, acquisition plans, schedules, and operational concepts involved” for Golden Dome.
At the Golden Dome’s first press conference, senators named L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and RTX (formerly Raytheon) as potential contractors.
Aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin prototype Golden Dome’s “command and control,” or C2, capability “connects sensors, gunners, and platforms across all domains, from the ocean floor to space.”
The company said the prototype is important because it “performs critical tasks of integrating data from various sensors and coordinating direct actions,” such as responding “more quickly and reliably” to threats and launching interceptor missiles.
In January, company The company said it is “ready to support” the Golden Dome project with its PAC-3 MSE missile defense system, F-35 fighter jets, satellites and ships.
Last year, communications systems company L3Harris announced it was expanding its plants in Indiana and Florida to work on Golden Dome’s “in-orbit technology.”
The company announced in August that it already has 34 satellites in development. Dedicated For the country’s Ministry of War’s “Hypersonic Missile Tracking”.
No contract has been signed yet
At this time, the US government has not officially announced the signing of a contract for the Golden Dome project.
However, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced Under Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD), awards were awarded in three phases in December and January to more than 2,000 companies, including Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, and Raytheon (RTX). contract.
According to the defense publication, the first SHIELD award is aimed at establishing a portfolio of companies eligible to compete for Golden Dome contracts. defense news.
The program will make it easier for the US Department of Defense and MDAs to complete orders “under one flexible corporate instrument,” with funding caps set at up to $151 billion (€128.4 billion) over the next 10 years, the government said.
Are there other layered defense systems?
The United States could also include joint weapons developed with Israel for a layered defense system.
The Israeli system, commonly known as “Iron Dome,” can detect incoming artillery fire and deploy only if the projectile is fired at a populated area or military or civilian infrastructure.
Israel uses a combination of Arrows, David Slings, and Iron Domes to protect against long-range, medium-range, and short-range missiles.
According to Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Arrow weapon system is a family of interceptor missiles with a fully automated control system that “surveills, detects, tracks and kills” incoming attacks “at great distances from the target.” It was developed by IAI in cooperation with the Boeing Company of the United States.
David Sling, a medium-range defense system developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and RTX of the United States, provides “hit-and-kill” protection against ballistic missiles, enemy aircraft, and drones. Iron Dome then only functions to stop short-range threats.
Although Israeli officials say the system is not 100 percent effective, they have credited it with playing an important role in protecting the country from various rocket and missile attacks from Iran and militias during the Israeli-Hamas conflict that began on October 7, 2023.
Europe is also working on its own version. In 2022, 21 European countries launched the European Skyshield initiative, agreeing to cooperate on how to procure, maintain and mutually support defense systems.
The group said all weapons procured for Skyshield will be integrated into the existing NATO mission to “defend allied territory from air and missile threats and attacks.”
Meanwhile, last year, Italian defense company Leonardo Revealed S.H.I.E.L.D.’s plan Leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to protect cities and critical infrastructure during geopolitical tensions.
Some countries, such as Germany, have contracts with Israel or the United States for the Arrow rocket system as part of Sky Shield.
This story was originally published and updated on May 23, 2025.