On Jan. 27, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring that the military develop a “missile defense shield” to protect the U.S. homeland — now dubbed “Golden Dome.” While any such system will require several years for full implementation, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in May that the Defense Department is “working with Congress to secure $25B of funding in the One Big Beautiful reconciliation bill” toward Golden Dome capabilities. Multiple defense and tech companies have expressed interest in competing for government contracts as part of the Golden Dome effort.As efforts to develop Golden Dome get underway, we asked four experts to consider what are the first steps that the administration should take within the next year?Editor’s note: If you’re interested in this edition of In Brief, you won’t want to miss Cogs of War — our new vertical that delivers sharp analysis on defense tech and the industrial base. Dive into cutting-edge insights, expert interviews, and stories that go beyond the headlines to explore the future of defense. Read more below.Kari A. Bingen Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International StudiesWe need to see the details of the architecture and what will be prioritized. At its core, Golden Dome will be an integration challenge — stitching together existing missile defense interceptor systems, terrestrial radars, and satellite constellations with capabilities still to come, including new sensors and space-based interceptors. It will also demand integration across organizational boundaries and technical domains — hardware and software, primes and startups, military services and agencies.Getting off to a strong start will require an empowered leader who can set expectations and push past the headwinds of traditional acquisition, contracts, and culture. If we’re serious about fielding defense capability within three years, we should adopt a
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On Jan. 27, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring that the military develop a “missile defense shield” to protect the U.S. homeland — now dubbed “Golden Dome.” While any such system will require several years for full implementation, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in May that the Defense Department is “working with Congress to secure $25B of funding in the One Big Beautiful reconciliation bill” toward Golden Dome capabilities. Multiple defense and tech companies have expressed interest in competing for government contracts as part of the Golden Dome effort.As efforts to develop Golden Dome get underway,
