Senior Pentagon officials have warned that the United States remains vulnerable to advanced missile threats, particularly hypersonic and cruise missiles, as they urged lawmakers to back a proposed next-generation shield dubbed the “Golden Dome.”
During a Senate hearing on Monday, defence leaders said current systems were designed to counter limited, small-scale attacks and are not equipped to deal with rapidly evolving capabilities being developed by rivals such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
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US Assistant Secretary of War for Space Policy Marc J Berkowitz told lawmakers the existing framework is inadequate for today's threat environment.
“We have a very limited, ground-based single-layer homeland defence system that was specifically designed against a small-scale rogue attack,” he said.
“We have very limited capability against any other attack with ballistic missiles, and we have no defence against hypersonic weapons or cruise missiles today.”
The remarks come ahead of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's appearance before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee, where he is expected to advocate for the Pentagon's proposed $1.5 trillion budget that includes funding for the “Golden Dome” initiative.
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The system, estimated to cost between $175 billion and $185 billion, aims to create a multi-layered missile defence architecture by integrating space-based sensors, ground interceptors, artificial intelligence-driven command systems and emerging technologies such as directed energy weapons.
Officials say it would counter a wide spectrum of threats, from drones to hypersonic missiles.
Michael A Guetlein, who is overseeing the programme, said the strategic environment has shifted significantly.
“For the first time in a generation, our nation's margin of safety has vanished,” he said, adding that “today the homeland is exposed and relatively undefended.”
The hearing also highlighted concerns over the defence industrial base.
Heath A Collins warned that years of underinvestment have created a “capacity debt,” limiting the ability to produce interceptors and sustain prolonged conflict.
Some lawmakers also questioned the funding model. Senator Angus King criticised the use of budget reconciliation, saying, “So the president gets to say we're going to do a $150 to $200 to $300 billion project and Congress can sit meekly by and say, 'OK, we'll write the cheque for you.'”
Officials stressed that alongside the proposed system, the US continues to strengthen existing defences, including Aegis-equipped naval platforms and land-based THAAD and Patriot systems, as part of a broader strategy.
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