China is practicing \u201cdogfighting\u201d satellites as part of its expanding capabilities in space, according to the United States Space Force, which warned that Washington\u2019s key rivals are closing the technology gap as space becomes increasingly critical to security on Earth. <\/p>\n
The Space Force observed \u201cfive different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around each other in synchronicity and in control,\u201d its vice chief of space operations Gen. Michael A. Guetlein said Tuesday at a defense conference. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what we call dogfighting in space. They are practicing tactics, techniques, and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another,\u201d Guetlein said, using a term that typically refers to close-range aerial combat between fighter jets. <\/p>\n
While the purpose of such operations was not clear \u2013 and some experts question the use of the term \u2013 Guetlein\u2019s comments come as analysts say a growing number of countries, including China, have sought to develop counterspace technologies. <\/p>\n
Such capabilities could enable a country to destroy or disable satellites, potentially allowing them to interrupt a rival military\u2019s communications or operations like launching and detecting missiles. Such interference could also wreak havoc on global navigation systems used for everything from banking and cargo shipping to ambulance dispatch. <\/p>\n
The US has been closely watching China\u2019s rapid rise as a space power in recent decades, not only through its ambitious lunar and deep-space exploration programs, but also what analysts describe as its deepening counterspace capabilities. <\/p>\n
In response to a question about China and Russia, Guetlein said they had developed \u201cexquisite\u201d capabilities. He cited the deployment of jammers to disrupt satellite signals, the ability to dazzle intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance satellites with lasers, as well as maneuvers involving grappling with a satellite and towing it to a different orbit. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the most complex and challenging strategic environment that we have seen in a long time, if not ever,\u201d Guetlein said, adding that the force needs \u201ccapabilities to deter and, if necessary, defeat aggression\u201d to \u201cguarantee that the advantage is in our favor\u201d into the future. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere used to be a capability gap between us and our near peers, mainly driven by the technological advancement of the United States \u2026 that capability gap has significantly narrowed,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
The \u201cdogfighting\u201d incident referenced by Guetlein involved a series of Chinese satellite maneuvers in 2024 in low Earth orbit involving three Shiyan-24C experimental satellites and two Chinese experimental space objects, the Shijian-6 05A\/B, a Space Force spokesperson said. <\/p>\n
Beijing has released little public information about its experimental satellites and such operations. The country included safeguarding its \u201csecurity interests in outer space\u201d among its national defense goals in a 2019 white paper but has long said it stands \u201cfor the peaceful use of outer space\u201d and opposes an arms race there. <\/p>\n
Given the physical dynamics in space, the maneuvers described by Guetlein as \u201cdogfighting\u201d would look very different from those in the air between fighter jets, in this case involving satellites maneuvering around one another using propellant, experts say. <\/p>\n
Analysts have long been closely monitoring interactions between satellites and other objects in space. Typically referred to as \u201crendezvous and proximity operations,\u201d these maneuvers can be used for peaceful operations like satellite maintenance or clearing debris \u2013 but could also allow countries to interfere with adversaries\u2019 assets. <\/p>\n
\u201cClose maneuvering around other satellites could suggest the development of a counterspace weapon because getting close to another satellite means you could potentially grab it, launch a net or projectile at it, or use an energy weapon, like a laser or jammer,\u201d said Clayton Swope, deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut getting close to another satellite might also suggest other purposes, like in-space servicing or refueling. It could also be one satellite trying to take a picture of the other one,\u201d he said, adding that China is launching \u201cmore and more satellites that demonstrate the ability to conduct sophisticated maneuvers.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t really know for sure, at least not publicly, what any of these satellites are up to, but some are probably doing surveillance and also testing out new space technologies that could be used as counterspace weapons,\u201d Swope added. <\/p>\n
There is no confirmed public evidence of China using counterspace capabilities against any military targets, the independent US-based Secure World Foundation said in an annual report on countries\u2019 counterspace capabilities last year. <\/p>\n
Russia and the US are also known to conduct proximity operations to their own and other satellites, she added. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say if this Chinese capability is something that the US doesn\u2019t have since we\u2019re learning about it from US commercial SSA (space situational awareness) companies, who are generally reluctant to discuss what US satellites are up to,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Referring to China\u2019s operations as \u201cdogfighting\u201d in space is \u201cnot helpful\u201d because it \u201cautomatically ascribes hostile intentions to activities that frankly the US also undertakes,\u201d Samson added. <\/p>\n
Currently, the US doesn\u2019t have an acknowledged operational program to target satellites from within orbit using other satellites or spacecraft, though it could likely quickly field one in the future, according to SWF\u2019s annual report. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s because the US has done extensive \u201cnon-offensive\u201d testing of technologies to approach and rendezvous with satellites, including close approaches of its own military satellites and several Russian and Chinese military satellites, the foundation said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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China is practicing \u201cdogfighting\u201d satellites as part of its expanding capabilities in space, according to the United States Space Force, which warned that Washington\u2019s key rivals are closing the technology gap as space becomes increasingly critical to security on Earth. The Space Force observed \u201cfive different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4640"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4640\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/republicanstradetoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}