Latest news with #B.ChanceSaltzman
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US space chief warns China, Russia are greatest risks to space defense capabilities
Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman warned Chinese and Russian technologies, especially Beijing's ''kill web,' present the greatest risks to the U.S.'s space defense capabilities. 'The PRC [People's Republic of China] has developed what we've kind of, you know, tongue in cheek, called a 'kill web,' and it's nothing more than a series of hundreds of satellites that are a sensor network that provide real-time updates, targeting quality information of our force,' Saltzman said at Politico's Security Summit on Thursday. This 'kill web' presents new risks to U.S. forces due to its precise targeting, which can infiltrate forces in range before they can begin to meet military objectives, Saltzman said. 'This is a huge problem. And the Indo-Pacific is where we see this most acutely,' Saltzman said, adding, 'That's why we have to build our capabilities to try to disrupt that so that when we're trying to achieve military objectives, our soldiers, sailors and airmen are safe and not under this umbrella of a very accurate, very long range set of weapons.' China's space program has significantly increased in recent years and hopes to put astronauts on the moon before 2030. China was excluded from the International Space amid national security concerns, prompting the Asia nation to build its own space station. Saltzman warned the PRC has shown an 'accelerated ability' to launch payloads like spacecraft or satellites into orbit. The U.S. space chief then laid out three areas of concern he has over Russia's capabilities. Months ahead of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russia demonstrated a 'kinetic kill capability,' which is an anti-satellite missile to destroy a satellite. This invasion, Saltzman said, involved a cyberattack against global communications company Viasat in the ground network. 'We have to remember space capabilities can be negated using ground techniques…cyber techniques,' he said. 'So we have to defend our assets in not just the orbit, but the ground as well.' Saltzman's third concern related to Russia's jamming efforts and its aim to put a nuclear weapon on orbit. 'The Russians are demonstrating reckless aggressive behaviors with regards to how they intend to contest the space domain that will have far-reaching impacts beyond any localized military effect,' Saltzman said. It comes as Russia and China pursue a joint initiative to establish an international lunar research station. The Associated Press contributed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US space chief warns of emerging threats from China and Russia
Surging technologies spearheaded by Chinese and Russian forces represent the greatest threat in space defense, Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman said Thursday at the POLITICO Security Summit. 'The PRC has developed what we've kind of, you know, tongue in cheek, called a 'kill web,' and it's nothing more than a series of hundreds of satellites that are a sensor network that provide real-time updates, targeting quality information of our force,' Saltzman said, warning that the strategy represents the biggest threat in U.S. adversaries' growing space capabilities. Saltzman emphasized the need to bolster U.S. capacity to disrupt the satellite network, saying it most acutely affects the Indo Pacific region. But China's kill web isn't the only area of concern for the space chief. Saltzman also noted Beijing's 'accelerated ability to put capacity on orbit,' adding that Russia, another major U.S. adversary, is similarly demonstrating strength in that arena. Russia, which is partnering with China to launch a joint lunar exploration project dubbed the International Lunar Research Station, also poses major threats to U.S. space defense, Saltzman said. 'The Russians are demonstrating reckless aggressive behaviors with regards to how they intend to contest the space domain that will have far-reaching impacts beyond any localized military effect,' Saltzman said, outlining three major areas of concern in Russian space technology development. Russia's demonstrated kinetic kill capability, which saw it destroying a satellite and generating massive amounts of orbital debris in 2021 before launching its invasion into Ukraine; its cyber attack against Viasat the day it began its Ukrainian incursion and continued jamming efforts; and its ambition of putting a nuclear weapon on orbit all pose significant threats to security, the space chief said. Saltzman's warnings come as the two U.S. adversaries ramp up their efforts to expand their space capabilities. Just last week, Beijing and the Kremlin signed a deal to build a joint nuclear power plant on the moon to power their planned International Lunar Research Station. The project aims to create a permanent base on the moon by the mid-2030s, in competition with the U.S.-led Artemis moon mission.
Politico
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
US space chief warns of emerging threats from China and Russia
Surging technologies spearheaded by Chinese and Russian forces represent the greatest threat in space defense, Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman said Thursday at the POLITICO Security Summit. 'The PRC has developed what we've kind of, you know, tongue in cheek, called a 'kill web,' and it's nothing more than a series of hundreds of satellites that are a sensor network that provide real-time updates, targeting quality information of our force,' Saltzman said, warning that the strategy represents the biggest threat in U.S. adversaries' growing space capabilities. Saltzman emphasized the need to bolster U.S. capacity to disrupt the satellite network, saying it most acutely affects the Indo Pacific region. But China's kill web isn't the only area of concern for the space chief. Saltzman also noted Beijing's 'accelerated ability to put capacity on orbit,' adding that Russia, another major U.S. adversary, is similarly demonstrating strength in that arena. Russia, which is partnering with China to launch a joint lunar exploration project dubbed the International Lunar Research Station, also poses major threats to U.S. space defense, Saltzman said. 'The Russians are demonstrating reckless aggressive behaviors with regards to how they intend to contest the space domain that will have far-reaching impacts beyond any localized military effect,' Saltzman said, outlining three major areas of concern in Russian space technology development. Russia's demonstrated kinetic kill capability, which saw it destroying a satellite and generating massive amounts of orbital debris in 2021 before launching its invasion into Ukraine; its cyber attack against Viasat the day it began its Ukrainian incursion and continued jamming efforts; and its ambition of putting a nuclear weapon on orbit all pose significant threats to security, the space chief said. Saltzman's warnings come as the two U.S. adversaries ramp up their efforts to expand their space capabilities. Just last week, Beijing and the Kremlin signed a deal to build a joint nuclear power plant on the moon to power their planned International Lunar Research Station. The project aims to create a permanent base on the moon by the mid-2030s, in competition with the U.S.-led Artemis moon mission.
South China Morning Post
03-04-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Pentagon urges faster militarisation of space, citing China's advances
China is mastering directed energy, radio frequency and other advanced weapon systems that threaten US activities in space, the head of operations for the US Space Force warned on Thursday. Advertisement General B. Chance Saltzman, the force's chief of space operations, told the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission that China has used its resources more effectively than the US because Beijing is more narrowly focused on one region on the planet, while Washington must manage a larger agenda. 'We just have a much broader set of missions than what we see the PRC focusing on,' he told the commission. 'They're very clear in that they have a Western Pacific mindset. 'They're able to husband their resources around all the capabilities in that area,' he said, comparing it to China's rapidly growing maritime ambitions in the Asia-Pacific. 'It's their focus that allowed them to be the most dangerous and so fast.' Advertisement Saltzman contended that the US should hasten the enhancement of Space Force capabilities, and that Washington should regard space less as a resource and more as a military domain.
South China Morning Post
03-04-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Pentagon officials urge a faster militarisation of space, citing China's advances
China is mastering directed energy, radio frequency and other advanced weapon systems that threaten US activities in space, the head of operations for the US Space Force warned on Thursday. Advertisement General B. Chance Saltzman, the force's chief of space operations, told the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission that China has used its resources more effectively than the US because Beijing is more narrowly focused on one region on the planet, while Washington must manage a larger agenda. 'We just have a much broader set of missions than what we see the PRC focusing on,' he told the commission. 'They're very clear in that they have a Western Pacific mindset. 'They're able to husband their resources around all the capabilities in that area,' he said, comparing it to China's rapidly growing maritime ambitions in the Asia-Pacific. 'It's their focus that allowed them to be the most dangerous and so fast.' Advertisement Saltzman contended that the US should hasten the enhancement of Space Force capabilities, and that Washington should regard space less as a resource and more as a military domain.
