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President Donald Trump’s executive decree, entitled “Iron Dome for America“Calls on reorganizing our anti-missile defense capacities, that the president labels” the most catastrophic threat in the United States “.
However, there are important challenges to overcome if we want to deploy something similar to The acclaimed air defense network of Israel Because the threat to America is very different.
Today, we are faced with real threats such as intercontinental nuclear point-point missiles (ICBM) launched from countries like China and Russia, which could endanger all of the United States. During the Cold War (1948-1991) with the Soviet Union, we approached this threat with our doctrine of “assured mutual destruction”. If Moscow attacked us with long -range nuclear missiles, we retaliated with an overwhelming number of similar weapons that would lead to the annihilation of the two nations. This doctrine worked because it reached fear on both sides.

President Donald Trump’s executive decree calls for reorganizing our anti -missile defense capacities. (Reuters)
Our challenge today is more complicated than during the Cold War, because we are faced with several enemies who have a wide variety of airborne threats. In particular, the nation-state adversaries as Russia, China, North Korea and Iran All have or develop long-range nuclear systems that put the United States in danger. In addition, there are a multitude of terrorist groups with access to sophisticated technologies such as drones and rockets that threaten our interests abroad and perhaps our homeland.
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In addition, many of these weapons are guided by space systems, which make them more precise and present themselves in a variety of packages that are difficult to defend – hypersonic missiles that are difficult to follow, ballistic missiles with several warheads, drone drones Many sizes and capacities, cruise missiles launched at sea, and more.
Unfortunately, America’s ability to defend the homeland against such a range of air threats is frankly limited, which explains Trump’s order to immediately resolve the issue.
Let us put this task in perspective by considering the Israeli air defense model.
Trump calls us To build something that looks like the “Iron Dome” of Israel to defend America against a plethora of threats. Naturally, his desire is to protect America against attacks such as those of Iran launched in Israel in 2024, by which almost all the projectiles were slaughtered before hitting the Jewish state.
The effective air defense network in three parts of Israel includes Iron Dome, which is designed to stop the short -range rockets and artillery shells launched from the Gaza strip.
The second level is David’s sling, which is intended to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles, such as those owned by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The third level is known as Arrow 3, which intercepts missiles flying outside the earth’s atmosphere, such as long -range missiles launched by Houthi activists in Yemen or Iran used for Attack Israel in 2024.
Although the three-level network of Israel worked well in 2024, it is not necessarily the right model for the United States. There are three key differences.
First of all, the United States is different Israel, which has built its network to defend itself against drones, artillery and cruise missiles launched from a neighboring country. The United States is unlikely to be attacked by Canada or Mexico. On the contrary, any air attack will likely imply ICBM or missiles / drones launched from ships or submarines on our banks.
Secondly, Israel is a very small country, about 8,630 square miles or the size of the New Jersey. The United States is 440 times the size of Israel with population centers and sensitive sites distributed in this vast country. The defense of our entire landscape of all air threats would be incredibly expensive, especially if it has been done on the scale observed in Israel.
What is the first line of defense of Israel, the Iron Dome?
Third, the United States has a variety of air defense systems in its inventory, which is not in a network like those observed in Israel. Yes, we have an anti-ICBM system in Alaska and California with 44 missiles. However, this system mainly focuses on the threat posed by North Korea. Our other systems are intended for the fixed defenses of the site deployed mainly outside the United States.
These mobile systems include the AEGIS ballistic missile system, which is based on the sea and designed to intercept ballistic missiles during mid-term phases or flight terminals. We align a variety of systems specific to the site such as the MIM-104 Patriot, capable of engaging ballistic and cruise missiles.
The defense terminal of the high altitude zone (Thaad) intercepts the ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of the flight. The National Missile System Advanced on the Air Surface (NASAM) is an average air defense, which is part of the air defense system in the American national capital since 2005.
There are also other tactical platforms such as the Avenger Air Defense System, the FIM-92 Stinger and the air defense of the S-HORT range (M-Shorad).
Like other nations, the United States is working on directed energy weapons (lasers) and other meters to low-cost anti-systems against drones and rockets.
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Pentagon’s task To satisfy Trump’s executive order, the deployment of a “new generation anti -missile defense shield” is to find the right mixture of air defense platforms, good doctrine and effective defense strategy. This effort begins by assessing the threat against very specific domestic sites and prioritizing the placement of our capacities and accepting risks elsewhere.
We must also develop something that resembles the doctrine of the cold war of mutually assured destruction, so that our enemies with nuclear arms include the risk for them if they plan to launch weapons against us.
Finally, the air defense strategy sketched in the Information sheet of the White House on the subject reminds me of something that is similar to the 1983 “Star Wars” initiative by President Ronald Reagan, officially appointed the initiative of Strategic defense, which was based on sensors and space interceptors. At the time, it falsified the Soviets and led to agreements that tempered the nuclear threat, such as the Treaty of Intermediate Standing Nuclear Forces and the Decreases to Reduction for Strategic Weapons.
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Actually, Reagan Star Wars programJust like Trump’s “Iron Dome” proposal was intended to protect the United States from air threats. At the time, the Reagan program aimed to make nuclear weapons obsolete. This effort failed.
On the other hand, Trump’s 2025 program is more pragmatic and achievable. After all, it aims to make America safer from most air threats by aligning an American version of Israel’s “Iron Dome”. It may be very ambitious and could be quite expensive, but clearly, during this period of explosion of air threats, it is a need for national security which deserves to be serious.