New defence bill to boost US military power by $150bn (£113bn)
Republican congressmen are preparing to introduce a new bill that will increase the United States defence budget by $150 (£113) billion, reports Reuters. This funding is intended for the construction of the Golden Dome air defence system and 14 ships, among other things.
The bill is set to be introduced in Congress on Friday evening, according to Republican Senator Roger Wicker, as told to Reuters. The agency reports that the document proposes an increase of $150 (£113) billion to this year's defence budget, which currently stands at $886 (£666) billion.
Of this funding, $27 (£20) billion is to be allocated for the Golden Dome, a new missile defence system announced by President Donald Trump. Trump described a potential missile attack as "the most catastrophic threat" to his country and commissioned the development of a system like the Israeli Iron Dome air defence system, which would provide protection for the entire US territory against all air attacks, including those using drones, missiles, cruise missiles, and hypersonic weapons.
$29 (£22) billion will support the construction of 14 ships and a "historic" investment in unmanned ships. Meanwhile, $20 (£15) billion will be used for the production of new ammunition, the expansion of the national supplier base, and the replenishment of critical mineral reserves.
The new project also focuses on strengthening the US military presence, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. "Strength, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, will make China less eager to break the status quo, which has led to a vast global prosperity among people who’ve never had it before. This is part of a plan to prevent war," Roger Wicker told Reuters.
Musk's company with strong chances for a government contract?
Last week, Reuters, citing unofficial sources, reported that leading contenders for the contract under the Golden Dome system include Elon Musk's company SpaceX and two companies collaborating with it: Palantir and Anduril.
The founders of all three companies have provided significant political support to Trump, Reuters noted, adding that despite positive indications for SpaceX, the decision-making process regarding the Golden Dome is still in its early stages, and nothing has been decided yet. In Donald Trump's administration, Elon Musk heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and is formally an advisor to Trump.
The agency established that representatives of these three companies have met in recent weeks with high-ranking US administration officials, including those from the Pentagon, to present a project for building and deploying between 400 and 1,000 satellites to detect missiles and track their movements. Additionally, it is reported that 200 other satellites would be equipped with missiles and lasers capable of neutralising hostile objects, according to Reuters and information obtained from three sources. It is expected that the SpaceX group will not be involved in arming the satellites, as stated by these sources.
