U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order for the development of an Iron Dome-like missile defense shield for the United States.
Trump called to “immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield, which will be able to protect Americans,” according to ABC News.
The “American Iron Dome” will be a “comprehensive missile defense shield to [safeguard] the American homeland,” the report quoted White House staff secretary Will Scharf as saying.
Earlier this month, the Israeli Defense Ministry and Haifa-based Rafael Advanced Defense Systems signed a contract to expand the production of Iron Dome interceptors, marking the first procurement under a U.S. aid package worth $8.7 billion.
The aid, approved in April 2024, includes $5.2 billion for strengthening Israel’s missile defense systems.
In November, Reuters reported that Greece was negotiating with Israel to develop a 2 billion euro ($2.11 billion) anti-aircraft and missile defense system similar to the Iron Dome.
Several additional countries have voiced interest in purchasing the Israeli missile defense system, which has won international accolades for its performance during Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
In February 2007, Israel’s then-Defense Minister Amir Peretz selected Iron Dome as the country’s defense system against the short-range rocket threat from Gaza.
Unlike other systems, Iron Dome was developed in its entirety using Israeli funds, but when the Defense Ministry and Rafael went into mass production, U.S. funding was used as well. In return, Israel undertook to produce 50% of the system’s components in the United States. The various parts are manufactured in 22 U.S. states, then shipped to Israel for assembly.
