![]() ![]() One specific worry, according to the DNI, is the use of satellites dubbed "experimental" that carry out sophisticated on-orbit operations, including some that appear designed for anti-satellite attacks. Military realignments in China over the past several years "indicate an increased focus on establishing operational forces designed to integrate attacks against space systems and services with military operations in other domains," he added. ![]() military advantage derived from military, civil, or commercial space systems," Coats said. and allied satellites to "offset any perceived U.S. Counterspace is the military's term for space warfare operations and weaponry.Īmerican intelligence agencies assess future conflicts will include attacks on U.S. ![]() "China’s PLA has formed military units and begun initial operational training with counterspace capabilities that it has been developing, such as ground-launched ASAT missiles," Coats said. and allied military effectiveness" in a future conflict.īoth destructive and non-destructive weapons are being development. This reality should be considered a crisis to be dealt with immediately."Ĭoats, in prepared testimony, said the goal of anti-satellite weapons is "to reduce U.S. "Under severe stress situations, jamming can render all commercial satcom and most defense satcom inoperable, except for the low- and medium-rate modes of defense extremely high frequency satcom. "The estimated and projected electronic threats against satellite communication (satcom) have rapidly escalated in the last few years and will continue to increase in the foreseeable future," the board said in a report. The Pentagon's Defense Science Board also warned about the danger to satellites from electronic jamming in a report last year. "We are quickly approaching the point where every satellite in every orbit can be threatened," Raymond told Congress in March 2015. John "Jay" Raymond, commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Space, issued a more dire warning. military needs "to move quickly to respond to it." "We have very old space capabilities, very effective space capabilities, but they are very old and not built for a contested environment," he said last year. Strategic Command and a space warfare expert, sees American satellites as vulnerable to attack and the space warfare from China and Russia is growing rapidly. The threat is real and growing and could produce devastating impacts on American infrastructure that is heavily reliant on satellites for communications, transportation, and finance.Īir Force Gen. intelligence community publicly commented on the growing threat posed by anti-satellite weapons from both China and Russia, arms that include direct ascent anti-satellites missiles such as China's DN-3, as well as lasers and electronic jammers that can disrupt satellite operations, and small maneuvering satellites that can grab and crush orbiting satellites.Ĭhina's cyber attack forces also will be used in a future conflict to penetrate military and civilian ground control stations used to communicate and operate satellites. intelligence leaders, said China's destructive anti-satellite weaponry "probably will reach initial operational capability in the next few years." satellites.Ī more significant development was disclosed eight days later through intelligence made public during a Senate hearing: China is moving beyond the testing and development of space weapons and will soon deploy military units dedicated to attacking satellites and conducting space warfare.ĭirector of National Intelligence Daniel Coats, appearing at the annual worldwide threat briefing with U.S. American defense officials, however, said the DN-3 is one of several direct ascent anti-satellite missiles capable of destroying most U.S. The test, as in the past, was masked by the Chinese military as a missile defense interceptor test. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |