America Says First Major "Golden Dome" Defense Test Was a Success

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced today (Wednesday) that the United States had successfully completed the first milestone test of the "Golden Dome for America" (GDA) missile defense system, considered one of the most ambitious defense projects currently being advanced by Washington.

In a statement he posted on X, Hegseth wrote that the test ended in complete success and that he was there in person: "Today, the first milestone test of 'Golden Dome for America' (GDA) concluded with full mission success - and I had the privilege of witnessing it firsthand."

According to him, the test used advanced directed-energy technology alongside the "Dynamic Defense Against Autonomous Drones" (DDAD) system. Hegseth said that during the test, "advanced directed energy was employed, and the Dynamic Defense Against Autonomous Drones (DDAD) system detected, tracked, targeted, and flawlessly and autonomously destroyed a series of incoming threats."

At the same time, Russia and China are voicing sharp objections to the American system, arguing that the "Golden Dome" could harm global strategic stability and affect the balance of deterrence between the major powers. 

נשיא ארצות הברית, דונלד טראמפ, מכריז על מערכת ״כיפת זהב״ (צילום: הבית הלבן)

Last month, the two powers said that "the parties believe that the American 'Golden Dome' project, aimed at building a global, multi-layered, multi-sphere, and unrestricted missile defense system that would destroy all types of missiles, including all types of missiles belonging to 'peer adversaries,' at every stage of flight and before launch, constitutes a clear threat to strategic stability."

Last January, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said that the very emergence of the system was a "rather provocative" move. Russia's defense minister, Andrei Belousov, also criticized the American plan, arguing that it was intended not only to intercept missiles, but also to provide the capability to destroy Russian and Chinese missiles even before launch.