China is developing electronic warfare capabilities such as space-based weapon system, satellite jammers, offensive cyber capabilities, and directed-energy weapons, according to a new report from the US Department of Defense released on Sept 1. This is in line with the country’s advancements in satellite navigation, launch capabilities, and space object surveillance and identification. It also has ambitions of permanently operating its own space station by 2022 that will host its own and foreign payloads and astronauts.
The annual report to Congress, called Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2020, says China has an operational ground-based Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile intended to target low-Earth orbit satellites, and probably intends to pursue additional ASAT weapons capable of destroying satellites up to geosynchronous Earth orbit. China is employing more sophisticated satellite operations and is probably testing dual-use technologies in space that could be applied to counterspace missions.
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Interestingly, Chinese government has not publicly acknowledged the existence of any new ASAT programs ever since it used an ASAT missile to destroy a meteorological satellite of its own in 2007. However, it has been observed that defense academics of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) often publish on counterspace threat technologies while stressing on the necessity of “destroying, damaging, and interfering with the enemy’s reconnaissance…and communications satellites,” and 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 report notes.
Space tech key enabler of military
Despite its public stance against the militarization of space, the Chinese military continues to strengthen its military space capabilities and views space operations as a key enabler of PLA campaigns aimed at countering third-party intervention. In an effort to enhance command and control (C2) in joint operations and establish a real-time surveillance, reconnaissance, and warning system, China has been steadily is increasing the number and capabilities of its space systems, including various communications and intelligence satellites as well as the Beidou navigation satellite system. It also continues to develop counterspace capabilities and related technologies, including kinetic-kill missiles, ground-based lasers, and orbiting space robots, as well as expanding space surveillance capabilities, which can monitor objects across the globe and in space and enable counterspace actions.
It has also been observed that China’s space industry, which has been historically managed by the PLA, is rapidly expanding its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), navigation and communication satellite constellations and making substantial strides in its space launch capabilities, human spaceflight, and lunar exploration programs, even though off late it has placed greater emphasis on decentralizing and diversifying its space industry to increase competition. This has resulted in a complex structure of military, political, defense industrial, and commercial sectors, the DoD report noted.
Beijing has devoted significant economic and political resources to growing all aspects of its space program, from military space applications to civil applications such as profit-generating launches, scientific endeavors, and space exploration.
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BeiDou a major breakthrough
The report also takes note of China strengthening its satellite navigation capabilities. On June 23, China launched the final BeiDou satellite to complete the constellation. An independent BeiDou offers China augmented precision navigation and timing (PNT) for its military space forces.
According to Xinhua, China’s state-owned new agency, “The BeiDou network, a major infrastructure independently constructed and operated by China, can better meet the demands of the country’s national security, economic as well as social development. It can also provide more stable and reliable services, as well as an alternative to the US-owned Global Positioning System (GPS) for global users. Given national security concerns due to the GPS’s dominance, China is not the only one in the world that strives to develop its satellite navigation systems. For many years, the European Union, Russia and others have all been working on their own projects.”
BeiDou satellites have “higher bandwidth, enabling enhanced communication capability and carrying more accurate … atomic clocks to improve the precision of timing and navigation services” when compared to their BDS-2 predecessors, according to a report by China’s Global Times.
Two key aspects set BeiDou apart from other GNSS — BeiDou can identify the locations of receivers on the Earth’s surface, and devices compatible with it can transmit data back to the satellites in text messages of up to 1,200 Chinese characters. China has aggressively promoted BeiDou to other countries in the region, including providing incentives to them.
Additionally, China plans to offer satellite-based augmentation services, a worldwide short message service, and internationally recognized search and rescue capabilities.
