U.S. Media: Pentagon Plans to Test "Iron Dome" Missile Defense System for the First Time Before Year-End

On August 7, Xinhua News Agency reported from Washington that Bloomberg cited sources as saying that the Pentagon plans to conduct the first test of its under-construction "Iron Dome" space-based missile defense system by the end of this year, with flight tests expected to take place in 2027.

In April of this year, the U.S. Space Force announced contracts with 12 companies, including SpaceX and Lockheed Martin, to develop space-based interceptors capable of intercepting missiles as part of the "Iron Dome" system.

Bloomberg reported on the 7th that the testing during the development phase includes one ground test, two interceptor flight tests, and a target interception test expected to take place in 2029. The report cited anonymous sources as saying that if the ground tests of the interceptor missile system are successfully completed by the end of this year, the government is prepared to pay the relevant companies $60 million. Additionally, the U.S. Space Force is expected to procure the system from teams that pass the final tests starting in 2030.

In May of last year, U.S. President Trump released a development plan for the "Iron Dome" space-based missile defense system. Trump stated that the "Iron Dome" would integrate with the existing U.S. missile defense capabilities and, once fully operational, would be able to intercept missiles launched from other parts of the world and even from space, with the entire system costing approximately $175 billion. He mentioned that the system is planned to be "fully operational" within three years.