Marc Berkowitz, assistant secretary of war for space policy, said the initiative responds to an evolving threat environment marked by rapid advances in missile and aerial weapon capabilities. He described the system as a response to increasingly sophisticated arsenals developed by strategic rivals.
“Golden Dome will protect our homeland, citizens, critical infrastructure and second-strike capability,” said Marc Berkowitz. “Today, our capability to defend the nation is limited, and its effectiveness is eroding against an increasingly advanced set of threats. Golden Dome will rectify this by creating a layered defense in depth of the United States.”
Berkowitz said the system is designed to counter ballistic, hypersonic and advanced cruise missiles, as well as emerging aerial and nuclear threats. He added that the cost of the program is significant but necessary to safeguard national security.
“The cost of failing to defend our homeland would be infinitely greater,” he said.
Gregory M. Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said his commands maintain continuous readiness to intercept potential threats. He noted that forces routinely track and intercept long-range bombers and remain prepared to respond to missile attacks at all times.
Guillot also highlighted efforts to enhance operational readiness, including the activation of Joint Task Force Gold. The unit is intended to serve as the operational arm for future layered defense systems associated with the Golden Dome initiative.
Michael A. Guetlein, the program manager for Golden Dome, said emerging threats are becoming more advanced in speed, scale and lethality. He emphasized that these developments present a direct and ongoing risk to the United States.
“Our adversaries are not just expressing the intent. They are demonstrating the capability to threaten our families and our way of life; this threat is not theoretical. We see it unfolding in front of our own eyes every day,” he said.
Guetlein described the initiative as a central element of the U.S. strategy to strengthen homeland defense. He said the program aims to integrate existing systems with next-generation technologies to improve response capabilities.
“The vision is ambitious, but it is achievable. The foundational technology exists today, and we are moving with the utmost urgency to bring it to bear. Our strategy is built on speed, affordability and partnerships,” he said.
The program includes plans to establish a unified command and control network connected to existing defense systems. It also seeks to reduce the cost per intercept while expanding overall defensive capacity.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, director of the Missile Defense Agency, and Army Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, commander of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, also provided testimony during the hearing.
Source: U.S. Department of War.
