China’s Satellite Fleet Poses Threats to US Troops in Potential Pacific Conflict: Space Force Intel Chief

China has achieved a strategic breakout in space, now deploying a vast network of satellites capable of targeting U.S. forces, should a conflict break out between the two nations in the western Pacific, according to the U.S. Space Force’s intelligence chief.

“The PLA [People’s Liberation Army] has rapidly advanced in space in a way that few people can really appreciate,” Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Gagnon, deputy chief of space operations for intelligence, told the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on May 2.
“I tried to think about historical analogies, about rapid buildups. I haven’t seen a rapid build-up like this. … I was thinking about World War II … but even as I was looking more broadly, an adversary arming this fast is profoundly concerning,” Maj. Gen. Gagnon said.

Maj. Gen. Gagnon said that China’s ruling communist party (CCP) has increased its on-orbit capability by 550 percent since the end of 2015. “[China’s] breakout pace in space is profound,” he added.

China’s military development in space has grown to become a great U.S. national security concern in recent years.

In April, Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, warned about the CCP developing its military capabilities in space at a “breathtaking” pace. In January, a U.S. military report warned that China and Russia are populating space with dual-use satellites, while concealing their military applications.

Read Full Article Here