The US is planning to deploy a new ground-based jamming system to prevent Chinese and Russian satellites from transmitting information about US troops.
Points of attention
- Jamming terminals are small, transportable and inexpensive, designed to create interference for satellite communications in harsh environments.
- The deployment of jamming systems could pose a threat to China and Russia's satellite communications, affecting strategic operations in space.
- The Pentagon is actively expanding its space warfare capabilities due to the threat posed by Chinese and Russian satellites to American military facilities.
- Russia and China are exploring and developing space weapons, posing an increased threat to satellite communications and US satellites in orbit.
What US devices will jam Russian and Chinese satellites
The Pentagon's space agency first tested the system earlier this year at two different locations, while monitoring it at a third location.
It is noted that the devices are not intended to protect American satellites from Chinese or Russian interference, but to "responsibly counter the adversary's satellite communications capabilities that allow for an attack."
The first 11 of the 24 U.S. remote modular terminals are scheduled to be deployed in the next few months, and all could be installed as early as Dec. 31 at undisclosed locations.
Terminals are small, transportable and inexpensive means of creating obstacles for satellite communications that can be used in harsh conditions to protect American forces.
The new terminals complement the much larger Counter Communications System and Meadowlands systems, allowing for distribution, remote control and relative mobility.
What preceded it
The Pentagon is actively expanding its space warfare capabilities this year because it believes that the rapid progress of China and Russia in space operations poses an increasing threat to American satellites in orbit.
According to the US, Moscow is developing nuclear weapons for deployment in Earth orbit, which could pose a threat to American satellites.
The Russians are also launching satellites that can be used as space weapons.
