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We space force has awarded several small contracts to companies to help develop prototypes of an important but unproven technology used in presidential donald trump‘S According to a report, the “Golden Dome” defense system.
Each contract, worth less than $9 million, is to develop space-based interceptors – a weapon system It would rely on an array of low-orbiting satellites that could track an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile and intercept it before it could strike.
The Space Force did not provide any details about which companies the contracts were awarded to. Since contracts are for relatively small amounts, the agency is not required to disclose detailed information, Bloomberg reported Tuesday
In a statement obtained by Bloomberg, the Space Force said the contractors were not disclosed because they are “protected by enhanced security measures.”
“The selection process was robust and thorough,” the Space Force said in a statement. He said he wants to “lead a fast-paced effort in partnership with industry to develop, demonstrate, and deliver prototype interceptors.”
Independent Comment has been sought from the Space Force.
The announcement appears to be one of the Pentagon’s first major steps as it looks to develop Trump’s “Golden Dome.”
In May, Trump announced his plan for “Golden Dome”, claiming it would be a “state-of-the-art” operational missile defense system to protect the US from missile attacks.
“Golden Dome” appears to take a page from Israel’s “Iron Dome” – a similar air defense system that operates only from the ground, as well as former President Ronald Reagan’s proposed “Star Wars” program.
“We have some areas of missiles and some missile defense, but no systems,” Trump told reporters in May. “We have some extremely capable weapons that hopefully we’ll never have to use, but we have some extremely capable weapons now.”
Trump estimated that the “Golden Dome” would be fully operational by January 2029.
However, experts have cautioned about the military’s ability to deploy space-based interceptors. Doing so would be extremely expensive and experimental because it would require launching hundreds of weapons into space.
Thomas G. Roberts, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote, “Despite decades of support from influential policymakers, the resources required to deploy space-based interceptors would be better spent on other layers of U.S. missile defense.” A 2018 article for Nuclear Science Bulletin.
In addition to the contracts awarded, the Space Force also plans to solicit proposals related to the ability of space-based interceptors to conduct kinetic midcourse missile defense, according to a Recently posted pre-requisition.
Kinetic missile defense is the act of using energy from a moving object to intercept another object. Midcourse interception uses the strategy of stopping long-range missiles midway on their course, making them easier to target. However, the downside of a kinetic midcourse missile defense system is that it may be unable to distinguish a missile from other debris.
The upcoming request for proposals will be posted in early December.