Pentagon: Chinese Military Units Training With ASAT missiles

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Chinese military forces have deployed multiple units armed with anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles that can destroy scores of American satellites, according to a Pentagon intelligence report.

The new report by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, known as NASIC, revealed that People's Liberation Army units have begun training with the satellite-killing missiles...

The report for first time reveals that Chinese military units already are conducting training for space attacks with anti-satellites missiles...

"These missiles can destroy U.S. and allied space systems in low earth orbit, making intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and communications satellites vulnerable," the report said.

The Air Force operates six constellations and 12 satellite systems regarded as vital to national security. They provide communications, command and control, missile warning, nuclear detonation detection, weather, and GPS for the world.

Foreign adversaries "are integrating advanced space and counterspace technologies into warfighting strategies to challenge U.S. superiority and position themselves as space powers," states.

"Multiple attack options—cyber, electronic, or directed-energy weapons; anti-satellite missiles; or space-based weapons—enable potential adversaries to

achieve a range of damaging effects," the report said...

The missile type and PLA units engaged in ASAT training were not identified. However, defense officials have said with as few as two dozen ASAT missile strikes, China could cause major disruptions in U.S. military operations that are heavily dependent on satellites for communications, intelligence, and precision guidance for missiles and bombs.

China's ASAT missiles include several types with different ranges. The SC-19, a variant of the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile, was used in flight tests in 2007 and 2010. In 2013, China flight tested a new ASAT missile called the DN-2. In February, China flight tested a more capable DN-3, that was also tested in 2017, 2016, and 2015.

The ASAT missile training followed congressional testimony in February from Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats who said China's destructive anti-satellite weaponry would probably "reach initial operational capability in the next few years."

Coats also mentioned China had formed military units that carried out "initial operational training" with ground-launched ASAT missiles.

Rick Fisher, a China military expert, said the 25-page NASIC report, "Competing In Space," is important U.S. government confirmation that the PLA has progressed from a demonstrated ASAT weapon in January 2007, to multiple units equipped with ASAT missiles.

Fisher, with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said since late 2015 all PLA ASAT missile units were placed under the new Strategic Support Force and its subordinate Space Force that likely controls the missiles and will also be in charge of future space-based weapons.

"While the PLA now has actual units of ASAT weapons targeting critical American military and civilian space assets, the United States does not have a similar organized counter-space capability," he said. "We are basically disarmed in the face of an active Chinese military-space capability."

Fisher blamed the Obama administration and former President Barack Obama who ideologically opposed the development of U.S. military space capabilities.

"America and its allies are very fortunate that President Trump has decided that the U.S. military requires a new Space Force," he said. "This is not an offensive or destabilizing initiative; it is now a necessary and defensive capability that is urgently required by the United States."

A Defense Intelligence Agency report on Chinese military power made public last week said China has not publicly acknowledged the existence of any new programs since a 2007 missile strike against an orbiting weather satellite.

"PLA writings emphasize the necessity of ‘destroying, damaging, and interfering with the enemy’s reconnaissance … and communications satellites,' suggesting that such systems, as well as navigation and early warning satellites, could be among the targets of attacks designed to ‘blind and deafen the enemy,'" the DIA report said.

The NASIC report is the first time the Pentagon has described in detail how a future conflict would be carried out in space.

Additionally, the report said the number of space satellites is growing rapidly from 100 several years ago to 300 today, making the domain congested and increasing the risk of collisions...

Anti-U.S. governments in both China and Russia "continue to develop, test, and proliferate sophisticated anti-satellite weapons to hold U.S. and allied space assets at risk," the report said.

Directed energy weapons can produce temporary and permanent damage to satellites through focused radiofrequency or laser beams.

"Reversible effects include temporarily blinding optical sensors," the report said. "Non-reversible effects include permanently damaging or destroying sensors or other satellite components. Both China and Russia intend to field counterspace directed-energy weapons."

Chinese defense research over the past two decades has studied several types of directed energy space weapons and Russia is reportedly building an airborne laser that could be used to attack space-based missile defense sensors.

The Pentagon was building its own anti-missile airborne laser inside a Boeing-747 but the program was canceled by the Obama administration...

Among the emerging space-based anti-satellite threats the report identified a variety of arms. They include space-based interceptors to crash into satellites, complex space robots capable of grabbing or crushing satellites by maneuvering close by, and jammers, lasers, chemical sprayers, and microwave weapons...

These alternatives to GPS could allow China and Russia to destroy GPS satellites during a future crisis or conflict, in what the report called "space denial."

The loss of GPS would impact police, firefighters, and paramedics and prevent rapid response to emergencies; news, long-distance telephone, satellite television, and internet service also would be unavailable. Retail stores and gas stations would be unable to communicate with banks to handle purchases and critical services "could be affected by weapons targeting our space services," the report said...

The range of potential space attacks include:

• • Jamming global navigation and communications satellites used for command and control and naval, ground, and air forces, including drones.
  • Weapons designed to target intelligence satellites would be designed to prevent locating, monitoring, and tracking enemy targets, like mobile missiles. Lasers can temporarily blind imagery satellites and other strategic sensors.
  • Anti-satellites missiles can be used to shoot down satellites, like the Chinese missile test in 2007 that destroyed an orbiting weather satellite that created debris that will threaten other satellites for decades. 

Monitoring space threats is difficult for U.S. intelligence because adversaries are using dual-use civilian-military space systems that can appear benign but have hidden military and warfighting systems, such as robotic-arm satellites. China has conducted tests of three small satellites including one with a robotic arm capable of grabbing nearby satellites.