The United States has provided Britain with classified intelligence that reveals the extent of China’s growing military presence in space. The information, shared through a secret briefing earlier this year, outlined Beijing’s development of space-based capabilities that could threaten Western defence assets. America fears that Beijing and Moscow are rapidly developing satellites that could be used to track Western troops in the event of war.
Senior US officials disclosed that the data included technical insights into Chinese satellites equipped with robotic arms, technology believed to be capable of disabling or capturing other orbiting spacecraft. These details were presented to British defence leaders as part of a broader push to strengthen allied awareness of emerging space-based threats.
Speaking to The Times, a senior US defence official confirmed, “There was a classified exchange of information, including on space threats posed by China.” He noted that the exchange was carried out under the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, which has begun sharing top-secret data on Russian and Chinese space operations to give allies a common operating picture of emerging orbital threats. The intelligence has prompted renewed urgency within the UK’s defence establishment to integrate space more centrally into its strategic planning.
China’s Orbital Capabilities Raise Western Security Alarms
Concerns over China’s activities in orbit have grown significantly, particularly in light of its collaboration with Russia. US analysts warn that deepening technical cooperation between Moscow and Beijing could soon create a joint satellite constellation able to deliver near-continuous tracking of NATO force movements, compressing Western decision-making timelines in any future crisis. Both countries are believed to be investing in counterspace weapons, with US intelligence highlighting capabilities such as satellite jamming, cyber interference, and direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles.
General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations for the US Space Force, emphasised the risks posed by satellites equipped with mechanical arms. “It’s very easy to disguise the nature of these capabilities,” he said. While such systems can be used for satellite maintenance or debris removal, they can just as easily be repurposed for offensive actions.
US officials have warned that China’s space doctrine increasingly views the domain as a critical component of future military conflicts. Their emphasis on developing space denial capabilities suggests a shift toward treating space as a potential battleground, rather than a purely observational or communications platform.
UK Steps Up Space Defence Amid Growing Global Tensions
In response to the shared intelligence, Britain is said to be expanding its own awareness and strategic focus on space. The UK Ministry of Defence has already established Space Command and continues to invest in early-warning systems and satellite resilience.
The secret briefing to UK officials was part of a broader effort by Washington to encourage NATO allies to recognise space as a full-fledged warfighting domain. Discussions have included how best to defend satellites that are vital for communication, navigation, and surveillance.As geopolitical tensions rise and technological capabilities evolve, experts warn that space is no longer the safe, passive environment it once was. General Saltzman underlined this point, stating, “Space has changed. It is now a contested domain.”
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