US officials express concern over Russia-China space weaponisation efforts

Kruse’s remarks underscored a critical shift in the perception of space as a strategic domain, with increasing military implications. The general’s comments come against a backdrop of heightened fears over potential space-based weapons systems, a concern that has been mounting in recent months.

Earlier this year, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner called for the declassification of all information related to a new Russian anti-satellite weapon that he described as involving nuclear technology. Turner warned that Russia might be on the verge of developing the capability to detonate a nuclear weapon in space, a move that could impose severe costs on US military and economic interests.

“The US is sleepwalking into a disaster,” Turner asserted, citing his concerns over Russia’s nuclear ambitions in space. In response, the White House has consistently maintained that while US officials are aware of Russia’s space weaponisation efforts, Moscow has not yet deployed such capabilities, as reported by Voice of America.

Kruse echoed this stance during his presentation, cautioning that while Russia has been working on the ability to place nuclear weapons in space for nearly a decade, they have not yet reached a deployable stage. “We have been tracking for almost a decade Russia’s intent to design the ability to put a nuclear weapon in space,” Kruse said. “They have progressed down to a point where we think they’re getting close.”

Despite this progress, Kruse warned that Russia’s commitment to this agenda remains strong. “The Russians don’t intend to slow down, and until there are repercussions, will not slow down,” he said, emphasising the importance of continued vigilance and preparedness.

The response from Russia and China to these US allegations has been dismissive.

In May, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov dismissed concerns about Moscow’s plans to weaponise space as “fake news.”

Similarly, the Chinese Embassy in Washington has rejected claims of belligerent behaviour in space.

“China always advocates the peaceful use of outer space, opposes weaponizing space or an arms race in space and works actively toward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind in space,” said Chinese spokesperson Liu Pengyu.

Liu criticised the US for creating a narrative of threat to justify its own military buildup. “The US has been weaving a narrative about the so-called threat posed by China in outer space in an attempt to justify its own military buildup to seek space hegemony,” Liu said, adding, “It is just another illustration of how the US clings on to the Cold War mentality and deflects responsibility,” according to Voice of America report.

Despite these denials, Kruse argued that China’s rapid expansion into space poses significant threats. “They’re in multiple orbits that they did not used to be before,” Kruse said, pointing out that China’s investments in directed energy weapons, electronic warfare capabilities, and anti-satellite technology are causes for concern.

He elaborated on China’s strategic space initiatives, noting that “China is the one country that more so even than the United States has a space doctrine, a space strategy, and they train and exercise the use of space and counterspace capabilities in a way that we just don’t see elsewhere.”

General Stephen Whiting, the commander of US Space Command, painted an even more ominous picture of the Chinese space program. “China is building a kill web, if you will, in space,” Whiting stated.

He elaborated that over the past six years, China has “tripled the number of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellites they have on orbit — hundreds and hundreds of satellites, again, purpose built and designed to find, fix, track target and, yes, potentially engage US and allied forces across the Indo-Pacific.”

Whiting also addressed the challenges of maintaining communication and ensuring space safety amid these developments. “We want to have a way to talk to them about space safety as they put more satellites on orbit,” he said. “So that we can operate effectively and don’t have any miscommunication or unintended actions that cause a misunderstanding,” Voice of America reported.

First Published: Jul 18 2024 | 12:29 PM IST