Projected costs grow for DoD’s Golden Dome initiative

Federal Newscast · Mar 18, 2026 · 6m

The Defense Department is blowing through initial estimates of what its Golden Dome initiative would cost. General Michael ​Guetlein, Golden Dome's manager, said Tuesday the Pentagon is “at $185 billion for the objective architecture, which delivers way out into the 2035 timeframe.” This estimate is already $10 billion more and will take five years longer than what President Donald Trump said it would cost and when it would be ready. Guetlein also says that outside projections are “estimating a very large, complex capability.” The Defense Department instead is “changing that equation…