US military officials believe Russia and China are aggressively testing new offensive space capabilities, pointing to a series of satellite training missions conducted by both countries in recent months as growing evidence of an effort to weaponize outer space.
As recently as last week, Russian satellites were practicing “attack and defend tactics,” maneuvers intended to increase the proficiency of their space force, according to a US defense official. US officials watched multiple Russian satellites work together to surround and isolate another satellite that was positioned in low-Earth orbit, demonstrating how they could potentially target enemy spacecraft in a future conflict, the official added.
Russia’s goal remains to put a nuclear weapon in space, the defense official said. Recent Russian satellite movements also suggest they are actively preparing for a potential armed conflict in space, the official added. “Russia wants to take away our advantages in space and they don’t care about collateral damage,” the defense official said. China has carried out similar training exercises in space over the last year. In December, Beijing demonstrated advanced capabilities by maneuvering multiple satellites in close formation – raising concerns about potential military applications.
“They practiced attack approaches … those are advanced patrols and advanced tactics,” the official said. These co-orbital satellites can directly hit another satellite or disable it, just one of a suite of such technologies that Beijing is developing. China is also developing anti-satellite missiles and directed-energy attacks that use lasers or similar systems to attack other satellites.
“This is a PLA space force that’s being built, trained and ready to seize the ultimate high ground” from the US, the defense official said. China has already shown its rapidly advancing technological prowess in space. The test of a space-launched hypersonic missile in 2021 caught the US by surprise. The top US general at the time called it a “very significant technological event.”
US Space Force officials are focused on continuing to develop their own offensive and defensive space capabilities in an effort to ensure neither Russia or China can exploit mobility to gain a military advantage over American assets and conduct a “blitzkrieg” style attack, the official added. “Mobility can lead to breakout,” the official said, pointing to how the Germans took away the mobility of enemy tanks during World War II.
The US still maintains an advantage over both Russia and China in space, the defense official noted, but both countries are developing new systems to enhance military effectiveness and end any reliance on American technology, according to US Space Force’s intelligence headquarters. Trump touted the creation of the US Space Force during his first term in office but defense officials stress that increasing competition from Russia and China still poses a national security threat.
“US needs to be ready to do more than protect and defend in outer space. Stories about playing defense are stories about losing,” the defense official said.
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