The Golden Dome’s focus on space may leave the US open to drone and missile attacks
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INTERMEDIATE: As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets President Donald Trump in Washington for talks expected to focus on Iran’s security and regional security, a new report urges the administration to expand US-Israeli defense cooperation by making Israeli air defense technology a central part of the Golden Dome, a ballistic missile shield designed to detect, track and intercept ballistic missiles, the United States’ ballistic missiles before they strike. missiles of the United States.
The report warns that planned U.S. missile defense could leave U.S. cities, military installations and critical infrastructure exposed to increasingly frequent drone and cruise-missile threats if Washington directs too much money to expensive space-based programs that could take years to operate.
A report by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), titled “The Missing Shield: Acquiring Israel Air Defenses Makes Golden Dome Sustainable,” says that priorities in this funding program favor space-based capabilities that could take years to develop while giving insufficient attention to more common, low-altitude threats such as cruise-missile project shorts.
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Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen in the city of Ashkelon, Israel, Oct. 9, 2023. (Amir Cohen/Reuters)
Ari Cicurel, the author of the report, told Fox News Digital that long-range defense is still necessary but should not come at the expense of systems capable of stopping threats that could reach the United States now.
“Right now the current method wastes time and money especially in the area, long threats, which are absolutely necessary,” said Cicurel. “But the most common and immediate threats are actually short projectiles, especially drones.”
Cicurel pointed to recent drone activity in American cities, including Washington, DC, as evidence that the danger is not limited to overseas battlefields.
“We’ve seen a lot of drone flights in cities, including Washington, DC, in the last few months,” he said. “And that’s the most common threat the US has to deal with.”
The report estimates that the Israeli-designed launchers it tested are 58% to 88% less expensive, interceptors 19% to 97% less expensive and radars 32% to 87% less expensive than the US systems used for comparison. JINSA says those savings would allow the Pentagon to buy more launchers, expand interceptor stockpiles and preserve funding for expensive space-based technology.
The Pentagon told Fox News Digital that the Golden Dome is being designed as a multi-layered system capable of dealing with multiple threats.
“Golden Dome for America continues to focus its efforts on protecting America and delivering on President Trump’s vision for national security,” a Pentagon official said.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks in the Oval Office after President Trump announced his plans for the Golden Dome. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The official said the launch program remains “capable” and is aimed at defending against “the full range of emerging threats,” including hypersonic and ballistic missiles, advanced cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems.
The extent of the options ahead was underscored by a May 12 Budget Office analysis. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that a nationwide missile defense system broadly consistent with Trump’s order would cost about $1.2 billion over 20 years to develop, implement and operate.
The office insisted that the estimate was not a reflection of the Pentagon’s original plan for the Golden Dome because the department did not release enough information about the intended structure.
The Congressional Budget Office has proposed four layers of connectivity, including a space-based layer, two layers over a wider area and a regional area protection layer.
The JINSA report suggests making Israeli-designed defenses a central part of those lower layers. It recommends Iron Dome for short-range threats, David’s Sling for medium-range threats, Arrow for missiles and Iron Beam for low-cost laser interception.
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TOPSHOT – This long exposure shows traces and explosions from the blockade of Israel’s Iron Dome projectile system over Tel Aviv on February 28, 2026. The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, with an Israeli broadcaster reporting that Iran’s supreme leader was targeted, as the Islamic republic missed Israel. (JACK GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images)
Cicurel said this proposal should not be seen as buying weapons from other countries because Washington helped finance their development and American companies are already involved in their production.
“What we’re ultimately talking about is using American tax dollars to help produce, to help develop these programs in Israel,” he said.
One hundred and two companies in all 34 states participate in the production of Israeli air defense systems.
Asked specifically whether the Pentagon is evaluating the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow or Iron Beam for purchase, integration or joint expansion, the official declined to say.
“There is nothing new to announce at this time,” said the official. “Due to operational security and the need to protect our competitive advantages, we will not provide further details.”
The report also says the recent war with Iran has shown how high levels of interception can hide risks, including rapid depletion of interceptor inventories, hardened production lines and attacks on radar systems that bolster defense networks.
“Both the US and Israeli industrial bases were ill-equipped to handle the amount of production required by either country,” Cicurel said.
The report calls for dedicated funding for Golden Dome for short- and medium-term defense, increased joint production, and inclusion of Golden Dome cooperation in the next US-Israel memorandum of understanding. It also recommends revising export control laws and technology sharing, while acknowledging challenges including interoperability, classified data and intellectual property.
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Digital concept design of the Golden Dome (Lockheed Martin)
Trump has repeatedly described the Golden Dome as a project that defines national defense, saying it will create a shield capable of protecting the United States from advanced missile threats. Whether Israel’s plans become part of those structures remains unclear, but Netanyahu’s visit gives both governments an opportunity to put the issue at the top of the bilateral defense agenda.
