The Golden Drone

The Iron Beam is the next Generation of Air Defense

The idea of the Golden Dome for Air Defense over the United States and some of its allies is not a new concept, but it likely was not possible to be completely effective until the 2020s. In the 1980s, President Reagan’s idea of his Star Wars named SDI space based defense system was an ambitious plan to have missile interceptors and possible laser based weapons in space that would target ICBMs once they entered the upper atmosphere. While ballistic intercontinental missiles entered space or near space when meeting targets on the other side of the globe, the amount of computer processing power and technology needed to hit a very fast moving target was in its infancy. At the time as well, MIRV Missiles, or missiles that launched multiple warheads was at the peak of nuclear missile technology, and would likely ensure that at least some of the warheads would hit, even if the SDI-Star Wars concept was feasible. Such MIRV nuclear missiles are still a threat today, difficult to stop even in the 2020s.

The idea that the United States could defend against a nuclear missile attack did have some utility, as the Soviets were unsure at the time if they would be able to penetrate a US defense shield, putting them in a weak position militarily. The Soviets were aware of the US Nike missile defense systems, one version that worked by setting off a nuke in the sky to destroy many incoming targets, but thought that Star Wars may have been the effective answer to MAD for the US, and would have changed the power dynamic completely. Later in the early 90s during the Gulf War, the first generation of US Patriot Missiles were sent to the region to defend against Soviet made SCUD missiles being launched from Iraq. While they claimed the Patriot could shoot down missiles at the time, the reality is that few SCUDs were shot down by Patriots, being a system geared towards shooting slower flying, larger aircraft.

The War in Ukraine showed the effectiveness of even older anti-aircraft systems against airplanes, with even old 1980s era systems like the SA-8 keeping both Russian and Ukrainian higher flying aircraft grounded during the war. The start of the war began with Ukraine’s most experienced pilots being shot down soon after take-off in Ukraine by Russian S-300 type missiles based in Belarus. The reality of missile technology at the time effectively grounded both Air Forces. As the war continued on, newer and more expensive NATO missile systems were placed in Ukraine, as Russian bombers would take to launching long range missiles from a safe distance and the new systems were the only ones that had the chance to stop many of these extremely fast missiles.

The Golden Dome Type missile shield desired by the US Administration would likely be composed of different tiers of defense, some of which already exist today in one form or another. Many believe that the Golden Dome would be a copy of the Iron Dome, but even in Israel, the Iron Dome is only used for small munitions, shot in volleys and easily destroyed with small warheads. For ballistic missile defense, the Arrow type missile system is used along with another ranged system. A US version would likely be needed more for long range ballistic missiles, as the threat to the US would be from abroad, not likely from directly over the border Katyusha rocket attacks. The US THAAD system is already deployed in Israel, along with US Navy missile defense systems and radars which are already very effective against incoming missile attacks.

The THAAD system is already deployed by the United States as a missile defense system against threats from North Korea. There is a THAAD system based in South Korea at the moment, and THAAD based in protection of Hawaii in Guam. It could be imagined that the Golden Dome could be easily established with an expanded radar network for THAAD into Central America, Northern Canada(where there was always a radar base in Alert, Canada), and Greenland. Improvements on the THAAD may take place using information in defending against Iran’s ballistic missile attacks and hypersonic missile attacks in Ukraine. The challenge for the THAAD or other systems is that THAAD should be used ideally only for longer ranges, and have enough interceptors to defend against a large swarm attack of enemy missiles. The concept of multi-tiered defense already exists within the US Navy, with SM-6 and other variants of SM missiles being used to target differing levels of threats. The reality is that few planes could likely evade a modern missile defense if targeted by the radar and having a Meteor missile, PL-15 or new US missiles shot at them. The Golden Dome requires a THAAD or similar type missile, ones that can hit hypersonic nuclear threats, can see stealthy and intelligent incoming missiles and will be aided by preventive diplomacy and preemptive strikes as best policy.

Ukraine made history by sneaking truck based shipping containers close to bomber air bases in Russia and launching a drone attack on several bases at once, targeting sensitive parts Russia’s bomber fleet. Russia has a limited bomber capability with many of their ships made during the Soviet era, many being out of production, or difficult and expensive to replace. These bombers were the stand off launchers for Russian missile attacks on Ukraine, and a plan was made over a year ago to execute this highly precise mission. Information has been rolling in about destroyed targets, with slower, older and more numerous TU-95 Bear bombers taking the brunt of the hits. Many supersonic TU-22M3/TU-26 bombers were also hit, planes that are no longer replaceable as they are out of production. Some of the prized TU-160 Blackjack bombers may have also been lost, along with a very valuable A-50 AWACS aircraft and many transport aircraft, all burned on the airfields.

The Golden Dome concept should not assume that their systems are infallible, as Russian territory is blanketed with S-400, Pantsir and S-500 defense systems that have not stopped attacks inside Russia, despite being comparable to the US THAAD system. The Ukrainian intelligence operation to attack Russia’s bomber fleet inside of Russia, along with a possible Submarine base, is a lesson in humility…in that you should not assume there are not internal threats when possessing the best missile defense in the world…and humiliation, where wars can be shifted in direction via narrative as much as via the number of soldiers an army possesses. Internal Guerrilla threats can be as dangerous as external missiles, and the Golden Dome is only as good as safe streets and a responsible Government.