Why Weather Intelligence Needs to be a Priority for the Golden Dome
By Tim Gallaudet
June 20, 2025
The National Guard
During the first week of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order (EO) directing the development and deployment of a next generation missile defense shield to deter and defend against a foreign aerial attack on the Homeland. This system is now touted as the Golden Dome for America, and the Department of Defense (DoD) is preparing to award multiple contracts over a ten year period with a maximum combined value of $151 billion.
As with the employment of any DoD capability, effective operation of the Golden Dome will require the consideration of environmental conditions. Such weather intelligence has been a decisive factor throughout American military history, from U.S. Navy Captain Thomas MacDonough’s knowledge of the prevailing winds over Lake Champlain that enabled him to secure a victory over the British during the War of 1812, the forecast for a break in the weather that gave the Allies the element of surprise during the Normandy landings in 1944, to the anticipation of a days-long sandstorm at the outset of Operation Iraqi Freedom that allowed air strike assets to replace laser-guided munitions with GPS variants and provide continuous support for coalition forces on the ground.
The kind of environmental information that the Golden Dome will require depends on both tactics and the target. To defend against aerial threats prior to their launch, such as a mobile ballistic missile launcher, cloud cover could prevent identification and targeting with optical or infrared sensors. Similarly, for terminal phase interception, heavy precipitation would hamper the use of the same types of sensors.
Other considerations depend on the type of platforms integrated into the system. U.S. Navy guided missile destroyers will almost certainly be incorporated into the architecture as they are doing so today to defend Israel against Iranian ballistic missiles. High sea states can impact the air defense mission of these ships by generating sea clutter in their Aegis radar returns.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/06/20/why_weather_intelligence_needs_to_be_a_priority_for_the_golden_dome_1117736.html
