Overview

• Named FTI-X, the first integrated flight test will combine Golden Dome’s radar sensors and space-based interceptors to engage multiple targets.
• A May memo from Secretary Pete Hegseth grants Gen. Michael Guetlein sole contracting authority and exempts Golden Dome from traditional oversight under Deputy Secretary Stephen Feinberg.
• Congress allocated an initial $25 billion for development in the recent tax and spending law, while independent analyses warn total costs may reach hundreds of billions.
• The Missile Defense Agency has already completed a long-range radar sensor trial in Alaska to validate tracking capabilities vital to the shield’s constellation.
• Defense officials caution that unproven interceptor technology and the large satellite network required pose steep technical and scalability risks.