Ex-US Officer: Stopping Russia's Oreshnik Missile is "Impossible"

In an interview with ANI, Daniel Davis also said that the violent possibility of taking over Greenland "is nonsensical, it's laughable."

He said having a fool-proof integrated air and missile defence system in the form of Golden Dome for the continental United States is a fantasy given "hypersonics and other technology".

He said whatever one may envision technology-wise in the distant future as a shield, the missile technology will also advance beyond that.

"It's not difficult to stop the Oreshnik. It's impossible. Right now, the technology doesn't even exist to get it. I mean, we've seen it demonstrated on two occasions (by Russia), and there wasn't even an attempt to intercept it because the speed of the incoming warheads is so fast that any existing technology doesn't have a prayer to even make an interception, an identification, much less knock it out. It's just not there. There is no technology even on the horizon that's going to allow that to happen," Daniel Davis said.

He was answering a query on the Golden Dome initiative and its effectiveness against Russia's Oreshnik missiles.

"It is a fool's errand to say that you're going to have this impervious dome. Because the development of the missile technology is continuing to pace. So whatever you think you're going to have technology-wise in the distant future, the missile technology will also advance beyond that. Just look at the Iron Dome in Israel, along with the THAAD, along with the US Patriot System, the David Sling, the Arrows 1, 2, and 3, I think. Yeah. All of that integrated system combined could not stop Iranian missiles from penetrating that. They knocked some of them down, but a large number of very effective strikes got through," he said, referring to the conflict between Israel and Iran last year.

Daniel Davis, who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 21 years of service and is also a noted Podcaster, said if there's another Iran-Israeli war, "you can be sure that more Israeli targets will get burned because their system cannot stop that".

"That is the state of the art right now in terms of air defence, and it's all the best stuff that we have, and it doesn't stop it. It slows some of it down. That's it. And then you're talking about the continental United States. I mean, that's just sheer fantasy to even think that you could do it with or without Greenland," he said.

"The hypersonics and the other technology, both offensive and defences, makes this just an effort of futility. This is not more than the paper. It works for publicity because people believe it in the United States. They'll throw money at it. That's about as effective as it's going to be," Daniel Davis added.

Hypersonic Cruise Missile is capable of exceeding five times the speed of sound (over 6,100 km/hr) for extended periods

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said on January 11 that Russia had used drones, guided aerial bombs, and missiles of various types - ballistic, cruise, and even the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile in its strikes in a week against the country.

Trump has in the past linked his administration's desire to take Greenland with the proposed Golden Dome missile defence concept, projecting it as a national security requirement.

"The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building," Trump wrote on Truth Social on January 14. "Nato becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES. Anything less than that is unacceptable."

Trump has also announced a tariff plan targeting several key US allies over Greenland. Beginning February 1, imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will face a 10 per cent duty. Trump has warned that if negotiations do not progress, the tariffs would rise to 25 per cent from June 1 and remain in effect until Washington secures control of Greenland.

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland's geographic position makes it central to US defence planning, citing the existing US military footprint on the island.

The US already has a long-standing military presence in Greenland. Under a 1951 defence agreement with Denmark, Washington operates the Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) in northern Greenland, which supports missile warning and space surveillance, including the AN/FPS-132 radar system, feeding tracking inputs into wider US defence networks.

In another social media post, Trump stated: "The United States needs Greenland for National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome we are building. NATO should lead the way for us to secure it. IF WE DON'T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!"

Golden Dome is to combine a range of capabilities to create a "system of systems" to protect the United States from "aerial attacks from any foe," according to a May 2025 press release from the Department of Defense (DOD), a US Congressional report said in September last year.

The report said Congress has deliberated the rationale for and implementation of Golden Dome. In hearings, interviews with the press, and communication with Department of Defence, some Members have argued for and against the initiative, highlighted concerns, raised questions, and requested additional information.

Golden Dome may incorporate some or all current US missile defense systems, which include sensing, intercept, and command and control capabilities. It may update these systems or augment them with new capabilities, or both, the report said.

- ANI