By Pramesti @Adobe Stock
A U.S. Space Force general revealed that China has conducted “dogfighting” maneuvers in low Earth orbit, demonstrating advanced space capabilities, reports Courtney Albon of DefenseNews. The operation involved Chinese experimental satellites performing complex maneuvers to inspect and navigate around other objects. This highlights the growing space capabilities of U.S. adversaries, prompting the U.S. to adapt its strategy to maintain space superiority.
“With our commercial assets, we have observed five different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around each other in synchronicity and in control,” Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein said during the McAleese Defense Programs Conference in Washington. “That’s what we call dogfighting in space. They are practicing tactics, techniques and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another.”
Gen. Guetlein stated that adversaries are closely monitoring conflicts like those in Ukraine and Gaza to understand the increasing reliance on space and the weaknesses of disaggregated space architectures. He stressed that while the effects of potential attacks remain uncertain, these adversaries are actively developing methods to counter U.S. space capabilities. Additionally, he pointed to Russia’s efforts to create a space-based nuclear weapon that could generate an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) to potentially disable a significant number of commercial and government satellites. Chris Gordon of Air & Space Forces Magazine writes:
But when asked if even disaggregated satellites would be at risk of a “large-scale” attack, Guetlein did not hesitate.
“Yes, I do,” he said.
“How is to be determined, what the impact of it is to be determined,” Guetlein said, referring to such an attack. “But they are watching what’s going on in places like Ukraine and Gaza, and they are understanding how the world has become dependent upon space. They’re understanding the impact of those disaggregated architectures, and they are actively working on how to counter that capability.” […]
U.S. officials have said that Russia is developing a nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapon, among other capabilities.
While the Space Force is facing increasing threats, it is also dealing a flat budget of $30 billion—a slight decrease when accounting for inflation. “That may sound like a lot, but that’s a drop in the bucket,” Guetlein said. “That’s an enormous amount of heavy lift the nation is getting for three and a half percent of the DOD budget.”
Gen. Michael Guetlein expressed hope that the upcoming Space Futures Command will help the U.S. Space Force develop a more resilient force to counter future threats from China and Russia. He emphasized the importance of defining an “objective architecture” to assess risks and guide future space operations. Guetlein warned that threats to U.S. military assets and the economy—like a potential disruption of GPS—could cause significant damage. While the U.S. avoids testing anti-satellite weapons, it is advancing counterspace capabilities to stay ahead of adversaries, who have become increasingly adept at denying U.S. access to space.
