The Pentagon warned that the Chinese Communist Party has developed a network composed of hundreds of military satellites that could be used to track and target US forces defending Taiwan in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
At a conference held at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on Thursday, Gregory Gagnon, the Deputy Commander responsible for intelligence work in the US Space Force, cautioned that China has developed a complex military satellite program.
In contrast to the People’s Liberation Army of China, the US military has long held a critical advantage: the ability to strike mobile targets at great distances. However, the military satellite network being constructed by China may be aimed at catching up to this capability of the US military.
Gagnon revealed that in the past two years, China has launched over 400 satellites, with more than half of them intended for tracking objects on Earth.
“This is to provide guidance and warnings to sailors, Marines, and aviators who, if directed, will attempt to move west to defend freedom,” Gagnon stated.
“They may now find themselves in a rapidly expanding weapon engagement zone,” he warned.
Gagnon further explained that these reconnaissance satellites are specifically designed for investigation and surveillance, with their large numbers providing the capability to withstand attacks. Their primary purpose is for wartime deployment.
He emphasized that this is not a structure designed for efficiency and cost-effectiveness but rather a framework “designed to be brought to war and sustained in war.”
“Conducting reconnaissance and surveillance from the highest vantage point is clearly to acquire information to facilitate the military’s firepower control decisions,” he added.
In recent years, China has continuously invested substantial resources in enhancing its military capabilities in space. Gagnon mentioned that since the establishment of the People’s Liberation Army’s space force in 2015, its on-orbit assets have increased by 550%.
Some military experts believe that in the event of a war between major powers, conflict may first arise in space to destroy satellite systems crucial for communication among various countries’ armed forces.
There are warnings that China is also attempting to utilize the moon as an attack platform.
The Pentagon has urged the United States to intensify efforts to counter China’s ambitions in the space domain.
“We are at a critical moment in history,” Troy Meink, Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), stated at a conference last month.
“For decades, America’s leadership in space and space technology is being challenged for the first time,” Meink added. “Our competitors are actively seeking ways to threaten our capabilities, something we see every day.”
Currently, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) plans to launch the next-generation imaging satellite system on May 19, which will be the first launch of NRO’s new proliferated architecture.
The NRO indicated that the goal is to quadruple the number of spacecraft in orbit, coupled with new technologies onboard satellites expected to increase intelligence collection capabilities tenfold.
(This article references relevant reports from Defense One, Space.com, and SpaceNews)