Donald Trump’s Golden Dome Is As Crazy As Was Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars

In 1983, Ronald Reagan announced the Strategic Defence Initiative, popularly known as “Star Wars.” Its goal was to build a multi-layered defensive shield using ground and space-based lasers, particle-beam weapons, and more conventional anti-missile weapons to stop an attack from the Soviet Union. Star Wars was Reagan’s answer to the prior policy of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) that had guided American and Soviet policy from the mid-1960s.  It was far from feasible based on the technological capability of the times, and was also cost-prohibitive. None of what was proposed came to fruition, and in 1993, Bill Clinton cancelled the program.

Donald Trump has admired Israel’s Iron Dome, a defensive shield designed to intercept rockets, artillery shells and mortars fired from 4 to 70 kilometres away by enemies like Hamas and Hezbollah. It uses advanced radar that detects objects immediately after launch and is designed to protect Israel’s populated areas. The principal interceptors are batteries holding up to 20 Tamir missiles. It is supplemented by two longer-range defensive systems called David’s Sling and Arrow. During the latest hostilities involving Hamas and Hezbollah, the defensive shield stopped 90% of incoming missiles, shells and bombs. Much of the Iron Dome technology has been developed with funding support from the United States by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, an Israeli defence technology company.

Iron Dome is the inspiration behind the Golden Dome. As described, it would involve deploying hundreds of satellites equipped with sensors and systems capable of detecting and then intercepting enemy missiles at the boost phase, in space, or even after re-entry. To do this over Israel, a tiny geography, is one thing. To do this over a continent-wide nation with non-contiguous states in Hawai’i and Alaska is far more complicated.

What would be involved?

• Development of technology and weapons that track and destroy a missile in space or intercept it through and after re-entry into the atmosphere.
• Creating a transcontinental command and control system for land, sea, air and space to oversee all defence operations capable of anticipating and responding to threats.

None of this exists, and inventing and constructing the technology would likely take decades. Trump’s advisors estimate it can be done for $175 billion. The reality is that it will likely cost trillions and be another Star Wars boondoggle that never sees the light of day, and at some point, a future president will do what Clinton did to Star Wars in 1993.

Recently, Trump asked Canada if it wanted the U.S. to extend the Golden Dome to cover all of Anglo North America, offering it for free if the country became America’s 51st state, or for $61 billion if it chose to stay independent. What surprises me is that Canadian government officials would even consider it, particularly with this either-or offer.

Currently, the U.S. and Canada share a joint continental defence through NORAD. Canada, recently, has entered a partnership with Australia to develop the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR), for long-range surveillance up to 3,000 kilometres (1,800 plus miles) across Canada’s North and detect airborne threats. The cost is considerably less than the Golden Dome, coming in at CDN $6 billion (US $4.3 billion). Initial deployment is scheduled for 2029.

A-OTHR will be based on Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) that uses high-frequency radio waves bounced off the ionosphere for over-the-horizon object detection. JORN consists of three radar tracking sites and became operational in the 1980s. It remains a cutting-edge radar detection system that is continuously undergoing hardware and software upgrades, including the latest that will introduce artificial intelligence. Called AIR 2025 Phase 6, it is costing AUS $1.2 billion (US $780 million).

Although a radar-based defence is not as comprehensive as what is proposed in the Golden Dome, it remains a very effective tool for long-range surveillance and early detection of missiles and aircraft. Currently, America’s existing defence infrastructure already includes space-based sensors, ground-level radar and regional missile defence systems. The problem is that these technologies are not integrated. It would be far easier to fund integration than build Trump’s fantasy project based on his inability to understand the difference between defending a patch of land the size of Israel versus all of North America or the United States.