WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the Pentagon will pursue an Iron Dome missile defense system for the United States, fulfilling President Trump's campaign promise.
Hegseth, who was the first U.S. military leader to enter the Pentahedron building, told reporters that President Trump, 78, had issued a series of executive orders, including one to deploy systems similar to those used by the U.S. military. He said that it is expected that this will include those ordering the government. The Jewish state fires ballistic missiles from the air with a 90% hit rate.
“Today, we have more executive orders that we fully support, including eliminating DEI within the Department of Defense, bringing back troops forced out by COVID-19 orders, and Iron Dome for America.” said. “This is happening rapidly.”
Israeli-made air defense systems are noted for their ability to target and shoot down incoming missiles, and have been instrumental in limiting damage inside Israel from attacks by Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis throughout the 15-month Middle East war. It's been useful.
The pursuit of Iron Dome for America was part of the 2024 Republican campaign platform.
“The Republican Party will ensure that our military is the most modern, lethal, and powerful military in the world,” the document reads. “We're going to invest in cutting-edge research and advanced technology, including the Iron Dome missile defense shield, support our military with higher salaries, and wake up left-wing Democrats who will be fired as soon as possible.”
But Israel is a small country located close to its adversaries, raising questions about whether the United States can replicate the effects of Iron Dome.
Raytheon is developing a similar system called Skyhunter, which it claims “can be produced in the United States to expand availability and production capacity for the United States and its allies.”
Iron Dome's manufacturer Rafael, who has ties to the Israeli government, told the Post there are ways to adapt the system to protect a country the size of the United States.
