China playing 'very, very aggressive' hand in space, and U.S. watching: Space Force commander
WASHINGTON ― For decades, China has been working to expand its military and geopolitical influence ― and those efforts aren't going unnoticed by the United States.
China has been ramping up its military presence in the South China Sea, overshadowing five other countries with overlapping claims over the resource-rich waters. And in recent years, Beijing has also been investing heavily in its space program, a move that has the U.S. Space Force on high alert.
"China is playing a very, very aggressive hand in space," Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond, chief of Space Operations, said in an interview with Defense News this week. "They are moving very rapidly to develop a number of capabilities that could potentially give them an edge in a conflict."
Raymond said China is developing a wide range of asymmetric capabilities to target U.S. satellites, including directed energy weapons, cyberweapons, and electromagnetic pulse weapons.
China has also been working to develop a counter-space capability that would allow it to deny the U.S. access to space in times of conflict. This could involve the use of anti-satellite missiles or even the deployment of space debris to interfere with U.S. satellite operations.
"They are building a very, very formidable capability in space," Raymond said. "And we need to be taking this very seriously."
The U.S. is not standing still in the face of China's growing space capabilities. The Space Force is working to develop a number of new capabilities to counter China's advances, including new satellites, sensors, and weapons systems.
The U.S. is also working with its allies to develop a common approach to space security. In 2019, the U.S. and Australia signed an agreement to cooperate on space situational awareness, which will help the two countries to track and identify threats to satellites.
The U.S. is also working with Japan and India to develop a common approach to space security. In 2018, the U.S., Japan, and India signed a trilateral agreement to cooperate on space exploration and security.
The U.S. is also working with the UK and Canada to develop a common approach to space security. In 2019, the U.S., UK, and Canada signed a trilateral agreement to cooperate on space situational awareness and space traffic management.
Conclusion
The U.S. and its allies are working together to develop a common approach to space security. This cooperation will help to ensure that the U.S. and its allies are able to maintain their dominance in space for years to come.
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