The final price tag for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) “Golden Dome” next-generation missile defense system remains uncertain, but a first glimpse into the potential cost of the project will be revealed in the Pentagon’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request, according to a senior Space Force official.
The DoD’s full FY2026 budget is still under wraps, but earlier this month, President Donald Trump went public with a $1.01 trillion defense budget request – a preliminary outline of spending priorities that is expected to evolve over the coming months – that may create a lot of room for Golden Dome funding.
Currently, about $25 billion for Golden Dome is being proposed in a Republican-led “reconciliation” spending bill that would inject an additional $150 billion into the Pentagon’s budget over the next few years. Much of those funds appear destined for FY2026, though specifics are still being ironed out.
“We immediately started laying [Golden Dome] in [our FY2026 budget],” said Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton, the Space Force’s deputy chief of operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, during a May 15 event hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “Did we get everything right? Certainly, we didn’t,” he said.
The Space Force is expected to be a central player in the Golden Dome program, but it isn’t launching this endeavor alone. Bratton explained that the branch is working closely with other military agencies, combatant commands, and budgeting offices.
“The Pentagon’s cost accounting office and the White House Office of Management and Budget are helping organize all the pieces,” he said. “I’m excited to see how the budget lands.”
Support for a more robust missile defense framework appears strong, particularly among Republican lawmakers. However, some Democratic legislators have expressed skepticism over Golden Dome’s feasibility and its potentially enormous cost.
Despite the political friction over cost, there is growing recognition that an advanced missile defense system is vital not only for homeland security but also for achieving and maintaining superiority in space.
According to Bratton, Golden Dome could serve as a catalyst for broader transformation in how the U.S. military approaches space operations. He said the program’s emphasis on space-based missile interception will likely require a shift in strategic thinking.
“Some of the work that we’ve done in the space superiority area, Golden Dome will benefit from,” Bratton noted. “And I think space superiority will benefit from the future work on Golden Dome.”