The Russian "Sarmat" missile and "Peresvet" laser complex could seriously complicate the operation of the future American Golden Dome space missile defense system. This conclusion was reached by analysts at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), who assessed how vulnerable the huge US constellation of interceptor satellites would be to Russian countermeasures.
FPRI specifically considered "Sarmat" as one of the key targets for space interceptors. Analysts note that the missile is capable of flying to the US along a southern trajectory through the South Pole region of Antarctica, bypassing a significant part of the American detection and missile defense architecture. An additional problem for Golden Dome will be the possibility of using "Sarmat" in a partially orbital bombardment scheme, as interceptors will have to deal with a less predictable threat profile.
"Peresvet" poses a different threat – not to missiles, but to the satellites themselves. FPRI classifies Russian laser systems as active countermeasures against space missile defense: affecting sensors can blind the device and deprive it of the ability to normally detect and track targets. This is especially important for Golden Dome, as interceptor satellites must independently find missiles and destroy them during the boost phase.
The scale of the American project makes the problem even more serious. According to FPRI calculations, to protect against various missile threats, the US will need from several thousand to tens of thousands of interceptor satellites, and initial costs could range from tens to hundreds of billions of dollars. The orbital constellation will have to be regularly replenished due to spacecraft deorbiting, so expenses will not be limited to its initial deployment.
FPRI believes that Golden Dome could turn out to be an expensive but fragile system: the enemy can not only increase the number of missiles but also use countermeasures against the space interceptors themselves.