Pentagon Pushes Back on $1.2 Trillion Golden Dome Cost Estimate; Qatar Seeks $4 Billion Patriots
The Pentagon’s Golden Dome shield could cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years per a CBO estimate, six times the administration’s $185 billion forecast, with $25 billion approved and $17 billion more requested. Qatar plans a $4 billion purchase of Patriot missiles from Lockheed Martin and RTX at about $8 million each, double pre-war pricing.
1. Golden Dome Cost Dispute
The Golden Dome missile defense program faces a Congressional Budget Office projection of $1.2 trillion in expenses over 20 years, sharply exceeding the administration’s $185 billion forecast. Congress has allocated $25 billion so far and is considering a further $17 billion request for the next fiscal year, even as senators warn actual costs could reach multiple trillions.
2. Qatar Patriot Missile Order
Qatar has formally requested a $4 billion acquisition of Patriot air-defense missiles, comprising PAC-2 and PAC-3 variants, from Lockheed Martin and RTX. The deal prices each missile at roughly $8 million, nearly double pre-war levels, promising substantial profit margins for the prime contractors.