The US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to develop a missile shield similar to the Iron Dome, which Israel used to repel thousands of rockets during the Middle East crisis last year, in keeping with his election pledge.
Trump also issued further executive orders pertaining to defense, one of which instructed the creation of a policy for transgender soldiers. The rush of orders that Trump signed while flying to Washington shows how much the new administration values defense. Among these, Trump’s order to “immediately begin the construction” of a missile defense shield has drawn attention at a time when China’s military capabilities have advanced quickly.
At a Republican lunch in Florida, Trump discussed the air defense system and stated that it would be built entirely in the United States. “We don’t defend ourselves, but Americans defend other nations. And we have amazing technologies now. Trump was cited in the story as stating, “You see that with Israel.”
Trump asserted that Americans “didn’t have the technology” to implement an Iron Dome-style system, which previous US President Ronald Reagan had expressed interest in during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
“They (Iron Dome) knock down just about every one of them. The United States is entitled to that. And everything will be made right here in the USA 100%,” he said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been given a 60-day deadline by the flaming Republican to present an implementation plan for the missile shield.
For a number of years, Israel’s first line of defense has been the Iron Dome, which was built to withstand ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. According to Israel, its success rate is 90%. When it successfully repelled a volley of missiles from Iran, Lebanon, and Syria during the Middle East crisis last year, it demonstrated its efficacy.
It’s interesting to note that the US helped build the Iron Dome for Israel. The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (Thaad), the US’s own air defense system, is unable to stop drones and other short-range threats.
At a range of 150–200 kilometers, the Thaad can intercept missiles in their last stages of flight. In contrast, the Iron Dome has a 4- to 70-kilometer range and can repel short-range rockets, shells, and mortars.
