WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - The Pentagon has

successfully tested a long-range radar in Alaska that can detect

missile threats from Russia or China, and could someday serve as

a sensor in the Golden Dome missile defense shield.

The Long Range Discrimination Radar successfully acquired,

tracked, and reported missile target data, the Pentagon said on

Tuesday. These are key tasks for Golden Dome, a $175 billion

program aimed at protecting the U.S. and possibly allies from

ballistic missiles.

The U.S. Defense Department's long-range radar in Central Alaska

was built by Lockheed Martin ( LMT ) as part of the existing

Ground-Based Midcourse Defense missile defense system. The

system is designed to increase the effectiveness of interceptors

based in Alaska and California that are currently on standby to

knock down incoming missiles launched by Iran or North Korea.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, alongside the U.S. Space

Force and U.S. Northern Command, conducted the flight test at

Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, on Monday.

During this test, a target developed by MDA was air-launched

over the Northern Pacific Ocean and flew over 2,000 kilometers

(1,243 miles) off the southern coast of Alaska where it was

tracked by LRDR.

The Golden Dome missile defense shield aims to create a

network of satellites to detect, track and intercept incoming

missiles.

Inspired by Israel's Iron Dome, the Golden Dome program

faces political scrutiny and funding uncertainty due to its

projected cost. The shield is expected to be operational by

January 2029, though experts question the timeline and budget

feasibility.