A top Pentagon official leveled sharp words at China Wednesday, reacting with some of the most candid and unambiguous language yet to that country’s destruction in January of a satellite in space with a ground-launched ballistic missile.
Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne called the shoot-down an “egregious act” and said the Chinese sent a clear message to the U.S. military that its aging satellite force is under threat.
“We were not surprised, we were shocked,” Wynne said at a Sept. 19 meeting hosted by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a defense policy think tank. “What was shocking about it was the denial.”
“Was it part of a plan; was it not part of a plan?” Wynne wondered. “That’s what was shocking about it.”
Wynne said the shoot-down of a 1990’s-era Chinese weather satellite in polar orbit has forced astronauts aboard the international space station to avoid the debris field scattered in the intercept, and he concluded that China now claims space as a legitimate battlefield.
Future enemies “want to make sure that you will not want to get involved” in a conflict, Wynne reasoned.
“They can pin-prick you, they can threaten you — as China has with shoot-down of the satellite — just to tell us ‘you don’t think you’re safe up there,’ ” he said. “Space is not a sanctuary anymore.”
The Chinese government was silent on the shoot-down — and the international condemnation that resulted — for weeks after the Jan. 11 hit, and has been murky on the issue ever since. In June, U.S. Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Peter Pace said he had not raised the issue with his Chinese counterparts during a meeting in May.
A Pentagon report released this summer assessing the Chinese military said the test was an example of China’s pursuit of asymmetric countermeasures to American military prowess.
“The test put at risk the assets of all space faring nations and posed dangers to human space flight due to the creation of an unprecedented amount of debris,” the report stated. “The direct ascent ASAT system is one component of a multi-dimensional program to generate the capability to deny others access to outer space.”
Wynne’s comments are some of the strongest yet from a senior Pentagon official and indicate how seriously the military considers Chinese anti-satellite weapons development. America’s increasing reliance on space-borne assets to guide weapons, conduct long-range communications and keep an all-seeing eye on potential enemies could become the Pentagon’s Achilles Heel in a future conflict, many analysts fear.
The move prompted Air Force planners to redouble their efforts to come up with ways to defend U.S. space assets from destruction. But officials are reluctant to replace a $1.5 billion satellite, only to have it destroyed by a $100 million ASAT missile.
“If space comes under attack, maybe we don’t want to put up big, expensive retainer forces, maybe all we want to put up is just enough to kick the crap out of whoever shot at our satellite — kind of send a message to them,” Wynne said. “And then we’ll put up another expensive satellite.”
Other experts wonder whether the Pentagon could reduce its dependence on satellite systems — particularly those used for GPS navigation — and position more assets in the atmosphere, leaving fewer targets for enemy ASAT weapons to hit.
Whatever defensive solution is adopted, the Air Force faces an aging fleet of satellites that are running out of fuel to keep them in orbit, Wynne said. Now, the service is faced with a potential investment of $20 billion per year to replace its space-borne fleet in the face of an aggressive threat from ASAT weapons.
“Right now, the satellites have gone up all in a peaceful mode,” Wynne said. “I do think we should have some defensive mechanisms, but it is very hard to defend a satellite you’re actually trying to talk to.”
– Christian
Makes one wonder if the Chinese are strategically replaying our old game plan used against the USSR. Make keep-up unaffordable.
Asymmetrics 101
The most interesting aspect of China’s ASAT test was the timing. Now that we’re getting a public pissed-off response from the AF it seems as though the test interrupted some AF program the Chinese were aware of that hasn’t been made public yet. A lot going on that we’re not seeing.
This response from the Pentagon has got to be a front. Please, please let that be true. If not, the wrong people are running the show. It has been obvious to we, the casual observers of military, geopolitical strategic issues for years that US dependence on space-borne assets for gps, communications, etc. was quite vulnerable to all manner of ground-based offense. What is/would be shocking or more accurately, terrifying is if US military satelites truly do not have any means of defense. Don’t even get me started on what a EMP attack would do to the US. Hopefully, our military is prepared for this contigency.
i) I think the real issue is Defense’s increasing reliance upon satellite-based solutions for new weapons systems. Without GPS and satcomm much of our whiz-bang gadgety will be useless — no nav, no guidance, no comms, no network-centric warfare…
ii) We have already done it ourselves (kill a satellite) — what’s with the feigned indignation?
Well, what have we going in the way of anti-anti-satellite missile systems?
I have to laugh at these bleeding heart liberals that are quick to attack the pentagon and our military. ARE YOU AMERICANS OR TRAITORS??? If it werent for our strong military these people would be living under communism or fascism. It is because of our military that we can enjoy our freedom and peace. Might I remind them that there are countries, governments and people out there that would attack us in a minute if it werent for our military. Some of these countries are not content to live side by side in peace. Their belief is we should be under their control or beliefs.…or we should die. To the bleeding heart liberals and peacenicks I say, “if you dont like the way this country is run.….….GET OUT!!! You wont find a better country anywhere!!!
Remember, It was Billy Jeff Blythe Clinton that GAVE the Chinese the formulas to guide there hunters to our birds. Why do you think Johnny Chung and Norman Hsu gave all the campaign funds to Hillary?
There is enough space debris orbiting our planet without having to deal with debris from destroyed satellites. Can’t the United Nations do something to stop countries from adding more? If this is China’s way of threaten us why don’t we hit them where is hurts. It is the American people who buy probably 90% of what China makes. Why not raise the import tax so high that it puts American made product back in the spot light and puts Americans back to work?
“if you dont like the way this country is run.….….GET OUT!!! “
Spoken like a true facist.
Sounds like Grant Wells is the traitor here. A traitor to democracy.
What we need to do is to start shutting down the Chinese, by that I mean that we should keep more and more American industries setting up shop in China and then continue to classify China as “Favorite Nation” and thus exempt them from import duties. Everywhere you look we see the “Made in China” logo, yet they continue to bombard us with cheap, inferior and UNSAFE products. All of this put money in their economy and eventually able to afford whatever technology they wish. Let’s let them go back to eating rice on cold winter days!
money spent on iraq can be saved to implement new weapon systems and other strategic installments just for CHINA… sorry to say that the chinese shouldnt be taken lightly and they obviously are not. Theyr bastards. look at what they do in africa…humanitarian my ass. i think all allies should cut off china economically reducing its weapon research and production. WE ARE THE REASON ITS BOOMING ECONOMICALLY… but look at it…its a shit hole… why not keep it that way… i know when i play soccer im not the least intimidated by poorly managed teams…china is that team…dont sponsor or train it… it cant make the playoffs cuz it might go to the finals…
Perhaps we stood down SAC a bit too early.
Perhaps we stood down SAC a bit too early.
So we are unhappy because they shot down one of their own. It’s been possible for some time, although not proven, for several nations to have this capability by altering a ballistic missile. I suppose the complaint is really that they just forcefully pointed out that budgets planned years in advance are not always appropriate and show that the bureaucrats can and do screw up royally.
By the way, how is the “Star Wars Program”, progressing?
There is so much space debris up there that one little satellite cannot possibly affect any operation in space. As well as the chunks from the destruction are not going to maintain the orbit the satellite had. Most of it has returned to earth by now.
China is sending a warning. Thank God they were diplomatic enough to send it by blowing up one of their own. The message sent is “I know you’re up to something up there. Knock it off.”
The Reds didn’t want a recall on thier lead painted satellite! Sneaky bastards..
Now we know why they opposed Regans space defence platforms you know the ones. The ones with missles ! I guess they needed time to accelerate thier own program.
Now we know why they opposed Regans space defence platforms you know the ones. The ones with missles ! I guess they needed time to accelerate thier own program.
Now we know why they opposed Regans space defence platforms you know the ones. The ones with missles ! I guess they needed time to accelerate thier own program.
Thanks Pres. Clinton and corporate America. I hope you choke on your profits as we all need to learn how to speak Mandarin
Yes, thank you Bill Clinton, you freaking moron!!! Next time they shoot up something we should send him and Hilary up to fly through the debris field!
Thanks! Bill! (Clinton) for sellin us out, how much did you get paid (wink, wink)??? I wonder what Hillary would do??? Hmmm, scary!!!
Why does this surprise people. It is public knowledge that China has bought an old Russia Air Craft Carrier and other ships from a cash poor Russia. As we buy Chinese goods just remember where the profit from their sale is going. Certainly not to the Chinese people.
You all need to get a clue.this world is about BUSINES!!!!
THOES WHO DONT GET IN LINE AND CONDUCT BUSINESS GET A FAT LIP,
CHINA WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AND HAS PLENTY TO DO WITHIN ITS OWN BORDERS
CHINA IS ABOUT BUSINESS.
LETS JUST HOPE THAT THEY WONT BECOME A WAR BASED ECONOMY LIKE US UNTIL SOMETIME IN THE FAR OFF FUTURE, SOMEWHERE AROUND 2135.
SO PLEASE STOP WONDERING WHAT THE NEXT WAR WILL BE ABOUT AND USE YOUR ENERGY TO EFFECT CHANGE RIGHT HERE IN THE U.S. (i. e. change our way of thinking about how our next leader will be elected to lead this great country)
The quote “Thanks Bill for cutting down our military by 50%,” by Bob Melley.. Hey Bob, get your shit straight, the SSB, SVI get out of the Army plans and the Base closures and Unit “restructuring” that took active Army personnel from 980,000 to less than 450,000 and who said that his justification for doing so was that we were now going to rely more heavily on reserve and guard assets was Daddy Bush (George Senior)… get your shit straight. The fact that Bill took office AFTER everything was implemented and could not be changed does NOT make him the spearhead of the screw up.. and NOW Baby Bush has continued to screwup where daddy left off.. an Entire family of morons there.. whoop whoop
Paul Corville is quite stupid. Most, I thought all, knew clinton cut the military. Blaming the cuts on Bush senior is simply put. Stupid. But I bet the recession that happened right after Bush took office was his fault. Not saying it was Billys fault but it was way more his fault than Georges. Really it was Fed Greenspans doing. Rightfully so. Only a little too much. Funny.
Paul Corville is quite stupid. Most, I thought all, knew clinton cut the military. Blaming the cuts on Bush senior is simply put. Stupid. But I bet the recession that happened right after Bush took office was his fault. Not saying it was Billys fault but it was way more his fault than Georges. Really it was Fed Greenspans doing. Rightfully so. Only a little too much. And Tax cuts don’t work. Funny.
Go to http://www.truthandpolitics.org/military-relative-size.php. As you can see, Bush Sr. started cutting defense after Reagan, Clinton continued it, and Bush Jr. continued it again…until 2003. Hmmm…what happened in 2003? Oh, yes — victory in Iraq.
A doctrine of Total War has already been outlined (1999)in “Unrestricted Warfare”, by PRC military authors Qiao and Wang. They also spelled out the escapades of a “new terrorist” Osama bin Laden and the “economic attack” skills of George Soros. And don’t forget China’s “Sixteen Character Policy”- their blueprint for covert and overt efforts to acquire our military technology. Our vulnerabilities are evident — will we let this continue?
Without relating to four letter words like someone posted here, Bill Clinton NEVER liked the military, neither did HRC, they treated active duty military people at the White House poorly,
and presided on the largest cuts in the US military in modern history.
He did try to allowing the leasing of the former US Naval base at Long Beach to COSCO. That’s a fact, he did take $$$$ from China…Jimmy Carter turned over the Panama Cannal to Trujillo when he was president.…..Jimmah was the worst president the US ever had. Hutchinson Whampoa does manage the ports at both ends of the PC.
Honi soir que mal pense.…to those children who
don’t let themselves get confused by the facts.…
Surely no one is surprised to read that the Chinese may not be our buddies.
Surely no one out there believes that the Chinese are our buddies.
I am a combat veteran of thre wars and those that say Bill Clinton sold us out hit the nail on the head.If he had left the regular forces alone we would not have to keep calling on the National Guard and the reserves to help fight the present war.
I am a combat veteran of thre wars and those that say Bill Clinton sold us out hit the nail on the head.If he had left the regular forces alone we would not have to keep calling on the National Guard and the reserves to help fight the present war.
I am a combat veteran of thre wars and those that say Bill Clinton sold us out hit the nail on the head.If he had left the regular forces alone we would not have to keep calling on the National Guard and the reserves to help fight the present war.
WHY BLAMING INDIVIDUAL?WHAT HAVE U CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL INTEREST? DONT YOU KNOWS IS ALL ABOUT POLITICS AND POWER.
We had on CLINTON for 8 years and we are seeing what he did to the US military. DO we need another CLINTON (Mrs.) is try and finish off the military and make it nothing more than a shell. And then she wants to do away with the second amendment so the private citizens can not provide the support that would be needed if there was only a shell of the military like she wants. Let’s band together to strengthen the military and keep the second amendment strong. Granted the USA does not need to be the police force of the world, but we needed to be the safety to keep it from blowing itself up.
CLINTON WASN’T IN OFFIC DURING VEIT-NAM AND I WAS THERE FOR THREE YEARS ‚SO WHY ALL YOU IDIOTS FIGHT OVER WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG OUR BOYS ARE DYING FOR OIL SO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR AWHILE. AND OUR SO CALLED DEMOCRACY THAT WE FORCE ON THE REST OF THE WORLD AND CALL KEEPING AN EYE ON THINGS.I HATE BUSH WITH A PASSION BUT HE IS FOR THE TIME BEING MY COMMANDER AND CHIEF SO I DO WHAT IM TOLD BY HIM.SINCE THIS COUNTRY WAS STARTED THEY HAVE DIVIDED AND CONCORED ‚JUST LIKE THEY ARE DOING NOW ‚AND IF YOU DON’T BELIVE ME THEN YOU DON’T KNOW YOUR OWN HISTORY,AND SHOULD LEARN IT OR SHUT IT.BILLY LACY SSGT USMC 72–75
This is really crap…fighting over space. If a meteor were to hit one of our satellites who would we blame? God? I have two sons in Iraq and I have been in the military too. Why don’t we just nuke the whole damn planet and get it over with! Or betteryet why doesn’t our so called commander in chief re-institute the draft instead of worrying about a popularity contest and make his daughters enlist too.
Mainland China (PRC), desperately wants to be globally acknowledged and recognized as a superpower, first among equals. On a par with the US, and with the dissolution of the former Soviet Union (FSU), superior to modern Russia. Although I am certain, Vlad “the Impaler” Putin, and all his former KGB cronies, would beg to differ.
When I was collecting degrees in Poli Sci and International Relations, participating in Model United Nations, I did come across Treaties and Conventions regarding the Militarization of Outer Space. At this far remove, I cannot begin to tell you which UN Resolutions were approved on the subject, in the General Assembly or the Security Council. Much less, remember PRC’s position on the issue.
But I must point out, it has long been PRC’s position that they can fight and win a nuclear confrontation against any combination of countries. KIAs equalivent to have the PRC population, have long been deemed as “Acceptable Losses” to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) leadership. At that time, PRC had a population of 1 billion, so the surviving population of 500 million was deemed as acceptable. The PRC population is now what, 1.6b?
As the article stipulates, the PLA is probing the resolve of the Western Democracies, through asymetrical warfare. Conducting ASAT tests, attacking military, governmental and commercial computer systems. We do it to them, they do it to US, so the theory goes. But I have to ask, how does hacking the German government computer systems, benefit PRC? I do not think Germany will ever be in a position to threaten PRC in any way.
So, what are the lunatics in Beijing thinking? Perhaps, the thinking is that they had better use the full resources of the PLA, while there still is a PLA to use. That the juggernaut of capitalism and democracy is going to roll over them. The population of the PRC is no happier with the actions of their government, internally or externally, than anyone else in the international community.
I won’t even go into, how this bodes for the US, accept to make the following observation. Washington had better get its head out, on both sides of the aisle, in Congress and the White House, and recognize PRC and the PLA as an adversary. A new Cold War is already on, and we are just sitting back on our heels, waiting for our next Pearl Harbor. By the time that happens, we will have already lost the war.
US test their own missle every day, they are for protect world people? No, they olny for kill people of other countriese!
US test their own missle every day, they are for protect world people? No, they olny for kill people of other countriese!