The United States is currently trailing behind China in the space race, with the Asian superpower making significant strides in "kill chain" technology and the capacity to disable signals and satellites of other nations in space, according to American military experts.
This development has prompted President Donald Trump to charge the U.S. Space Force, a newly established military branch, with the responsibility of staying ahead of China's rapid advancements in space.
As reported by The Telegraph, U.S. Space Force Commander Stephen Whiting has expressed grave concerns about China's ability to enhance "over-the-horizon" weapons, including "kill chain" technology. This technology can "track and target US and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific" with "millimeter-level accuracy from over 100 kilometers away," Whiting said.
The United States, China, and Russia are the world's leading nuclear powers, and they also dominate in space superiority. This has resulted in a space arms race, with President Trump seeking to construct a $175 billion "Golden Dome" to safeguard America's land, satellites, and global interests. Modern warfare has become increasingly dependent on space technology and satellites, and China's long-range weapons capable of striking the U.S. "depend on space," according to the U.S. Air Force's Indo-Pacific commander, Gen. Anthony Mastalir.
China's precision "kill chain" technology is strengthened by its "more than 500 satellites capable of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)," as stated by the USSF. Over the past decade, China has launched 900 satellites, including 260 in the last year alone, 67 of which are ISR capable. This puts China on par with the United States, making the struggle for space superiority critical as China develops technology to not only jam U.S. satellites but potentially obliterate them entirely.
China's assault satellites pose a threat to other satellites, while their high-energy lasers and direct ascent anti-satellite rockets can incapacitate missions and U.S. defenses, Whiting warned. China has possessed anti-satellite weaponry since 2008 and has conducted anti-satellite tests over the past decades. China has been "practicing tactics, techniques, and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another," according to USSF Gen. Michael A Guetlein. This implies that China could destroy its own satellites to send debris into other satellites, thereby crippling them as well.
Furthermore, China's terrestrial weaponry is enhanced by "using space-enabled services" to make its forces "more lethal, more precise, and more far-ranging," Whiting said. "There used to be a significant capability gap between the United States and our adversaries, driven by our technological advantage," Gen. Guetlein said. "That gap, once massive, has narrowed considerably. "If we don't change our approach to space operations, we risk seeing that gap reverse, putting us at a disadvantage."
The situation calls for a reassessment of the United States' approach to space operations. The once vast gap in capabilities between the U.S. and its adversaries, driven by American technological superiority, has significantly narrowed. If the U.S. does not alter its approach to space operations, it risks seeing that gap invert, putting the nation at a disadvantage.
The space race is far from over, and the stakes are higher than ever. The United States must rise to the challenge and reaffirm its position as a leader in space technology and defense.
Login