Golden Dome Is Technologically and Financially Infeasible

For as long as nuclear-armed, intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles have existed, strategists and engineers have pursued a seductive idea: a shield effective enough to diminish — or even block — a ballistic missile attack. The appeal is obvious. A state that could reliably intercept ballistic missiles could protect its cities from these terrifying weapons and reduce its adversaries’ leverage.But defenses against strategic ballistic missiles have a long history of disappointments. Over roughly seven decades, the United States has spent m