SpaceNews.com
• Sandra Erwin
Gen. Michael Guetlein brought the Pentagon’s case for Golden Dome to North Dakota on Aug. 20, appearing at an event hosted by two of the missile-defense program’s strongest Senate advocates as questions remain over how the initiative will be funded.
Defense Budgets & Spending
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Gen. Michael Guetlein brought the Pentagon’s case for Golden Dome to North Dakota on Aug. 20, appearing at an event hosted by two of the missile-defense program’s strongest Senate advocates as questions remain over how the initiative will be funded.
The Space Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request drew attention earlier this year after reaching a record $71.3 billion. The proposed funding level underscores the expanding scale of U.S. investment in military space capabilities and provides an important baseline for congressional consideration and future program priorities.
The U.S. Space Force is expanding its role in modern warfare as military demand drives larger, sovereign satellite constellations. It will operate aging weather satellites until at least 2028 while pursuing replacement architectures, with Air Force Association leaders urging Congress to fully fund its $71.1 billion budget request.
The Navy is considering a major redesign of its next-generation aircraft carriers to more closely resemble World War II-era warships, a shift driven by President Trump’s preferences. The proposed changes could add billions of dollars to the cost of the carrier fleet.
President Trump has directed the U.S. Navy to restore an older aircraft-carrier launch technology, a reversal expected to cost billions of dollars. The decision would affect the fleet’s approach to launching aircraft and reopen questions about procurement priorities, transition costs and the performance of newer systems.
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President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Navy to remove the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) from the future USS Doris Miller, the fourth Ford-class carrier, and revert to steam catapults. The decision risks additional cost and schedule delays for the carrier program after years of EMALS development.
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President Donald Trump has directed the Navy to remove the complex aircraft-launch system installed on its carriers and return to steam catapults. Navy officials have opposed the change for years, and the retrofit is expected to cost billions of dollars.
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The Pentagon says President Donald Trump’s $185 billion Golden Dome missile-defense initiative has established its first operational site at Fort Story, Virginia, and completed two key tests. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein warned that without continued funding—and a solution to a potential 2027 cliff—the program will stop.
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