Satellite Dogfighting? The US Says China Is Training For Space Warfare

During the McAleese Defence Programs Conference which took place in Washington, Gen. Micheal Guetlein, US Vice Chief of Space Operations, called attention to satellite dogfighting activities in low Earth orbit. These activities were being carried out by China as they trained their satellites to perform strategic manoeuvres in space.

US Raises Concerns Over China Training Satellites To Dogfight In Space

As reported by top US space officials last year, US assets monitored Chinese satellites performing various satellite manoeuvring in space. Gen. Micheal Guetlein says, “We have observed five different objects in space manoeuvring in and out and around each other in synchronicity and control.”

He goes on to clarify that these actions are known as “dogfighting in space.” The satellite dogfighting observed by the US assets involves “tactics, techniques and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another.”

More details on this observation reveal that three satellites and two spacecraft were involved in these actions. The satellites have been identified as the Shiyan-24C experimental satellites, where the spacecraft are the Shijian-605 A and B.

While this is a threat to US assets in space, it also reveals how advanced Chinese satellites have become over the years. Since space dogfighting involves manoeuvring and monitoring objects while in orbit, there is a chance that China can use this trick against US satellites in orbit.

China Narrowing The Space Capability Gap Between Itself And The US

The manoeuvring ability displayed by Chinese satellites in orbit highlights the level of development in the region’s space field. Previously the space capability gap between China and the US was wide, but as years go by this gap seems to be narrowing.

From advancements in satellite technology to space missions, China is pushing hard with its space endeavours. Guetlein warns that if nothing is done by the US regarding these improvements, the space capacity gap “may reverse and not be in” favour of the US any more.
To widen this gap, the US will need to keep developing its space technology to stay ahead of the competition. Already, the ongoing space race between the US and China is proof of the struggle for space dominance.