The Golden Dome missile defense shield is a newly proposed system designed to protect the United States from foreign missile attacks. The plan involves a network of hundreds of satellites equipped with sensors and interceptors to target missiles during their initial boost phase, as well as multiple layers of land-based defenses across the country. The Pentagon's blueprint includes enhancements to current systems and the addition of new launch sites in strategic locations, aiming to counter a range of threats including hypersonic and cruise missiles.

The Golden Dome draws inspiration from Israel's Iron Dome, but is intended to be more advanced and capable of defending against longer-range and more sophisticated missile threats. The initiative also echoes the ambitions of the Star Wars program from the Reagan era, seeking to leverage space-based technology for national defense. However, the project's funding and future remain uncertain, with proposed investments facing political challenges in Congress.