Simply days after the US accused China of testing ‘dogfighting’ satellites in low Earth orbit, Beijing has clapped again with a pointy rebuttal. A report from China’s state-run International Instances dismissed the US allegations as a “budget-driven” tactic which was “a part of a broader effort to curb house advances by rising powers” and protect the US dominance within the sector.
The report insisted that Beijing’s house programme was for peaceable functions, “devoted to advancing human house expertise”.
Common Michael Guetlein, vice chief of house operations of the US House Drive (USSF) claimed at a defence convention final week that the company noticed “5 completely different objects in house manoeuvring out and in and round one another in synchronicity and in management”.
Beijing mentioned Mr Guetlein’s narrative was an try and justify larger navy spending and hype the “China, Russia menace principle” narrative.
“Following US President Trump’s return to workplace, the brand new administration aimed to chop navy spending. In opposition to this backdrop, numerous branches of the US navy had been determined for finances will increase and sought to safe extra funding by hyping up so-called “threats” from China, Russia, and others”.
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Dogfighting satellites
The USSF acknowledged that Mr Guetlein was referring to 3 Chinese language Shiyan-24C experimental satellites and two Shijian-6 05A/B experimental house objects that had been seen finishing up advanced manoeuvres in low Earth orbit.
“That is what we name dogfighting in house. They’re training techniques, methods and procedures to do on-orbit house operations from one satellite tv for pc to a different,” mentioned Mr Guetlein.
“That is probably the most advanced and difficult strategic setting that we’ve seen in a very long time, if not ever,” Mr Guetlein highlighted, including that the drive wants “capabilities to discourage and, if needed, defeat aggression” to “assure that the benefit is in our favour” into the longer term.
“There was once a functionality hole between us and our close to friends, primarily pushed by the technological development of the US that functionality hole has considerably narrowed.”
Ever for the reason that three Shiyan satellites had been launched in 2022, western navy officers and consultants have claimed that they’re being deployed to check navy capabilities, akin to grappling with satellites of rival nations in house.
