The Pentagon has revealed a $1.5 trillion defence budget for next year – a nearly 50% jump in spending to fund Donald Trump’s new projects.
The massive bill, first reported by the Washington Post, is unlikely to get the green light from Congress.
If it does pass, it would provide funding for dozens of Trump’s military plans, including a new ‘Golden Fleet’ Navy battleship and an eyewatering $18 billion for a ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system.
The massive spending budget, if passed, would mark the largest military funding request from the Pentagon since the Cold War.
Here’s what to know about the potentially historic defence budget.
Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system
Last year, Trump unveiled plans for his ‘Golden Dome’, a missile defence shield worth £130 billion – aimed at neutralising attacks from Russia and China.
This ambitious project draws direct inspiration from Israel’s infamous land-based Iron Dome – but Trump’s vision appears far grander in scale.
It is much more extensive and is expected to include a massive array of surveillance satellites.
Separately, there would also be a fleet of satellites that would shoot down offensive missiles soon after lift-off.
The President previously said the system will be built in Alaska, Florida, Georgia and Indiana, and involve several defence and technology companies.
Initial estimates after Trump’s announcement last May put the cost of the dome at £130 billion, and it would take years to implement, as the controversial programme faces both political scrutiny and funding uncertainty.
What else would the budget fund?
In addition to Trump’s beloved ‘Golden Dome’ project, some $75 billion has been allocated to build up an arsenal of unmanned weapons systems, including surface vessels, combat and refuelling aircraft, and one-way attack drones.
The US arsenal of long-range strike and air defence missiles is also in need of replenishment, after reaching ‘critically low’ levels before the war in Iran began.
If the spending bill is passed, the Army would receive more than $20 billion to buy more THAAD and Patriot missile interceptors.
The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) battery uses both radar and interceptors to stop short, medium and intermediate range ballistic missiles.
It has a range of up to 124 miles and is operated by 95 soldiers, six truck-mounted launchers, 48 interceptors and one radar system and communications centre.
The technology costs between $1billion to $1.8billion USD – seven others have been deployed to areas including South Korea, according to a Congressional Research Service report.
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Source: This article was originally published by Metro UK
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