How President Trump Can Deploy a Missile Defense Shield to Defend America in Only Three Years Trump’s Golden Dome missile shield may take a decade, but deploying Israel’s Arrow system now could quickly bolster U.S. defense against missile threats. By Fred Fleitz
During President Trump’s address to Congress last month, he announced a crucial new initiative to defend the U.S. homeland—the Golden Dome, a next-generation missile defense shield to be “all made in the USA.”
Trump noted that President Reagan had wanted to build such a system, but the technology was not yet available. He said that we now have the technology. Israel has such a system, and the United States should have one too.
President Trump signed an executive order on January 27 stating that the threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles and other advanced aerial attacks is “the most catastrophic threat facing the United States.” The executive order directed the Secretary of Defense to prepare a plan within 60 days to develop a next-generation missile defense shield to defend our country from this threat.
The reaction to Trump’s call to develop a Golden Dome missile shield has been positive but cautious. Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, said this project “will require a whole-of-government effort on par with the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb.” Other U.S. military officials raised concerns about legal, technical, and cultural hurdles, as well as the need to develop new and novel technologies.
Even with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency’s government reform efforts, it is hard to see how U.S. defense firms can deploy a Golden Dome missile shield in less than 10 years. Deploying a Golden Dome before President Trump leaves office is probably impossible.
However, there is a way that President Trump can defend our nation against missile attacks now and in the future. He can immediately start deploying Israel’s highly successful Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 missile interceptor systems and implement a longer-term project to build a next-generation Golden Dome missile defense system for the next decade.
The Arrow system is one of the most sophisticated air defense systems in the world. It is designed to intercept medium- and long-range missiles. The Arrow system employs an advanced radar system that detects incoming projectiles and destroys them with hypersonic interceptors.
The Arrow 2 travels at hypersonic speeds to intercept ballistic missiles at both high and low altitudes. The Arrow 3 is a similar interceptor that destroys ballistic missiles during the spaceflight portion of their trajectories, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 were highly effective in protecting Israel against two massive missile attacks by Iran in April and October 2024. After Iran fired 180 ballistic missiles against Israel in October, Israel Aerospace Industries CEO Boaz Levy said the Arrow system “performed as expected” and produced “wonderful” results. According to press reports, the Arrow achieved a staggering 99% interception rate.
Deploying Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 missile interceptors could begin this year and be built in the U.S. within 2 to 3 years. In fact, a significant portion of the manufacturing for this Israeli missile defense system is already being built in the U.S.
This means President Trump could deploy a robust missile shield in only three years and before he leaves office.
This plan would be consistent with President Trump’s call for a new missile defense system to be built in the United States. Indeed, the Arrow system was heavily funded by the United States, which contributed over $3.7 billion to develop it.
The Arrow system is already scheduled for deployment soon in Europe, with Germany having recently purchased this system.
At the same time, it is crucial that the United States also invest in a next-generation Golden Dome missile shield that could be deployed in the next decade. President Trump’s leadership and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could clear the obstacles, waste, and red tape in military procurement, allowing this vital project to begin immediately and put the U.S. on track to deploy the world’s most advanced missile defense system by 2035 or earlier. Meanwhile, it’s time to deploy the most proven system in the world right now.
President Trump is right that we now have the technology to defend the U.S. homeland against growing catastrophic threats from missile attacks. By deploying the advanced Arrow missile interceptor system that the U.S. spent billions to develop, Trump can start defending our nation against missile attacks now and have a fully deployed, robust missile shield before he leaves office. The Trump administration should also simultaneously launch a major project to develop a next-generation Golden Dome missile defense system that will protect our nation starting in the next decade and for many years to come.
Deploying the Arrow system now and investing in the Golden Dome system for the future would fulfill President Trump’s campaign promise to make America safe again. Implementing this initiative as soon as possible is crucial to countering the growing missile threats to the U.S.
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Fred Fleitz previously served as National Security Council chief of staff, CIA analyst, and a House Intelligence Committee staff member.
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