China, Russia Planning Space Attacks on U.S. Satellites

Washington Free Beacon ^ | Bill Gretz

[PIF]

China and Russia are preparing to attack and disrupt critical U.S. military and intelligence satellites in a future conflict with crippling space missile, maneuvering satellite, and laser attacks, senior Pentagon and intelligence officials told Congress on Tuesday ...

Simply stated, there isn’t a single aspect of our space architecture, to include the ground architecture, that isn’t at risk,” Buck said

“Russia views U.S. dependency on space as an exploitable vulnerability and they are taking deliberate actions to strengthen their counter-space capabilities,” he said.

China in December created its first dedicated space warfare and cyber warfare unit, called the Strategic Support Forces, for concentrating their “space, electronic, and network warfare capabilities,” Buck said.

[rlmorel]

Of course they would. How could anyone be silly enough to think they wouldn’t?

And that we wouldn’t try to do the same to them?

[xzins]

Of course they are.

And we’re planning attacks on theirs. Have been since forever. I think I first heard it discussed in the 80’s.

The real issue is how you defend/counter-attack/reconfigure

[353FMG]

Send Kerry to wave the white flag./s

[GraceG]

China and Russia could both make our day a very bad one...

[C19fan]

There is a reason the Naval Academy is bringing back ole fashioned navigation courses using sextants, charts and clocks.

[MichaelCorleone]

You mean ordering NASA to make muslim outreach a priority and packing the military with homosexual and feminazi bent on social activism has actually put us at risk?

Wow - who knew?

[Red Badger]

Better dust off and crank up the old HF and VHF transmitters and receivers........................No satellites needed....................

[r_barton]

stealth satellites

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3077830/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/spy-satellites-rise-faked-fall/

http://www.space.com/637-anatomy-spy-satellite.html

[Red Badger]

The first thing to go will be the Internet............................

[Lazamataz]

We are so screwed.

[drypowder]

But didn't both countries sign an arms treaty with the US to not do that??? sarc. oh, it's that love and war thing again.

[ClearCase_guy]

Any sort of kinetic attack on satellites is bad for everyone. Theoretically, the junk could close off access to space for centuries.

[halfright]

Isn’t our mini me Shuttle capable of grabbing a satellite and bringing it home?? Seems we better get a head start!

[ifinnegan]

China’s done it before.

[PIF]

Included if you read the article - which I recommend instead of just the excerpt.

[ifinnegan]

Thanks, PIF.

[AppyPappy]

“The first thing to go will be the Internet.”

They won’t be able to hack us.

[driftdiver]

Thats ok, we can just launch more satellites. its not like we’d need rocket engines from Russia or anything.

oh wait.......

[PIF]

Please read the article - the opposition would be planning to take the X-37B out if it can grab anything which no one has said one way or the other ...

This is a very serious business and could return the US to pre-cellphone, pre-internet days very easily while making the Military powerless unless this is properly pursued - sadly the only thing the mil is seriously pursuing is the F-35 and LCS programs - both relative losers, but very expensive shiny toys.