US to destroy Chinese hypersonic missiles through satellites…from laser to hit-to-kill, how will the Golden Dome work?
The United States is moving forward with the Golden Dome air defense initiative, and the government has committed billions of dollars to the project. US defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin is setting a unique target under this program. The company is setting a target for 2028 to test a space-based missile interceptor, which can hit hypersonic missiles. Lockheed Martin has stated it will be ready for on-orbit demonstration by 2028 and will be able to intercept highly maneuverable hypersonic missiles.
What is the US Golden Dome Project and why is it a game-changer against hypersonic missiles?
While the government and Department of Defense are still finalizing most of the details about the Golden Dome project, space-based missile interceptors are seen as the most important component of this audacious effort.
According to the official website of Lockheed Martin, Golden Dome for America is a revolutionary concept to further the goals of peace through strength and President Trump’s vision for deterring adversaries from attacks on the homeland. This next generation defense shield will identify incoming projectiles, calculate trajectory and deploy interceptor missiles to destroy them mid-flight, safeguarding the homeland and projecting American Strength.
U.S. adversaries such as China, Iran, and Russia all have hypersonic missiles. The Israel–Iran conflict has proven that even the most advanced air defense systems cannot fully stop complex ballistic missiles 100% of the time. The U.S. has THAAD and PAC-3 air defense systems, but they are questionable. One of the main characteristics of these missiles is that they travel at exceedingly fast speeds and can change direction unpredictably, which is difficult for the purposes of reliable target detection and interception using radar and interception technology.
“I believe, based on the sheer numbers they’re asking about, it’s going to take more than just one big prime (contractor). It might take multiple of us, as well as a lot of the rest of the industry,” Amanda Pound, director of advanced programs development at Lockheed Martin was quoted as saying by The EurAsianTimes.
Pound stated, “The goal is to field an on-orbit demonstration of a space-based interceptor by 2028.”
Most importantly, there is currently no viable defense against hypersonic missiles, an arena where several of the United States’ adversaries, including Russia, China, and Iran, have moved considerably ahead. Hypersonic missiles travel at hypersonic speeds and maneuver in unpredictable ways, making it impossible for today’s defense systems, even advanced ones like THAAD and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), to intercept a hypersonic missile.
Lockheed Martin is now looking into a variety of interception technologies for its space-based missile interceptors. Earlier this week, Amanda Pound told reporters at the company’s facility that they are pursuing a variety of concepts for missile-killing satellites: lasers, satellites that turn into projectile-based interceptors and move toward a hard-to-hit missile, according to Defense One.
Lockheed Martin also revealed they are standing up a new “prototyping hub” that would mix virtual and physical modeling to test advanced space-based missile defense concepts, including leveraging developing technologies from partners and smaller developers.
The hub was established at Lockheed Martin’s Center for Innovation in Suffolk, Virginia, known as “the Lighthouse.”
“Prototyping is already underway at the Lighthouse, where real capabilities are being tested against current and future threat scenarios, from ground to space. These capabilities include: threat evaluation, battle management, mission planning tools, sensor tasking, AI/ML integration and optimization, joint planning, robust data link sharing, and more,” a company statement read.
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