GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill creates a massive new missile defense program called the Golden Dome, designed to protect the U.S. homeland from ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles, and drones using a layered system spanning from the ocean floor to outer space. It authorizes over $23 billion in spending for fiscal year 2026 alone.
• A new four-star general called the Golden Dome Direct Report Program Manager would lead the effort, reporting directly to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. This person would have sweeping powers over acquisition, budgeting, and contracting, and would be shielded from interference by other Pentagon officials.
• To speed things up, the program would bypass many standard government procurement rules and military construction laws. The Secretary of Defense could waive legal requirements at their sole discretion to ensure fast construction, deployment, and testing of Golden Dome systems.
• Major investments include expanding missile interceptor silos at Fort Greely, Alaska to hold up to 80 interceptors, completing an Aegis Ashore defense system in Hawaii, deploying at least 40 space sensor satellites, and building space-based interceptor networks. Nearly $5.9 billion is earmarked for space-based missile defense alone.
• The bill requires rigorous testing, including a virtual exercise within 540 days of enactment and semiannual live-fire drills thereafter. It also directs the Pentagon to develop AI-powered threat detection, directed energy weapons, autonomous defense agents, and resilient GPS-alternative navigation systems.
• The bill also protects the space industrial base by requiring open competition in space acquisitions and mandating that contracts for mission-critical space systems demonstrate competitive performance, cost, and delivery speed compared to existing programs.