US ‘risks electronic warfare’ with China after unveiling anti-satellite jammer network
The network of jammers that aim to disrupt communications could prompt an escalating game of ‘cat-and-mouse’, analysts warn
Kelly Hammett, director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office, said last month that the systems, known as Remote Modular Terminals (RMTs), were designed to disrupt “kill chains”.
A primary target for these jammers is China’s expanding satellite surveillance network, especially its Yaogan series.
Yaogan’s satellites are able to track objects as small as a car from space and provide continuous surveillance over the Indo-Pacific Command, according to a report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank.
At last month’s Spacepower Conference in Florida, several senior US military figures highlighted the growing importance of space in the region.
Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir, the Space Force Indo-Pacific Commander, admitted at the event that China’s satellite network allowed it to track US and allied forces and potentially exploit vulnerabilities.
