In a strategic move to counter potential threats from Russia and China, the U.S. Space Force is gearing up to deploy a new ground-based jamming system. This system is designed to disrupt the information transmission from Chinese or Russian satellites about U.S. forces during conflict situations.
What Happened: The Pentagon’s space service branch has already tested the system at two locations earlier this year. The Space Force stated that these devices are intended to “responsibly counter adversary satellite communications capabilities that enable attacks,” Bloomberg reported on Friday.
The first 11 of 24 Remote Modular Terminal jammers are set to be deployed in the coming months, with the full complement expected to be in place by the end of the year at undisclosed locations. These terminals are small, transportable, and low-cost satellite communications jammers, as per the Space Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office.
The new terminals will supplement a larger jamming weapon, the Counter Communications System and a mid-sized one called Meadowlands. The latter has faced technical issues, delaying its delivery until at least October.
Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of U.S. Space Command, highlighted that China has “hundreds and hundreds of satellites on orbit designed to find, fix, track, target and potentially engage, US and allied forces across the Indo-Pacific.”
The Rapid Capabilities Office developed the small terminals and hired Virginia-based contractor Northstrat Inc. to operate the jammers. U.S. officials claim their weapons are “responsible” and won’t destroy satellites but only temporarily disable them.
Why It Matters: The development of this new jamming technology is a significant move in the ongoing space race, particularly in light of recent Chinese advancements in the field. Just days ago, it was revealed that the PLA Navy of China had developed an AI-powered ‘kill web’ to counter U.S. electronic warfare aircraft in the South China Sea. This new U.S. technology could potentially serve as a countermeasure to China’s recent advancements, leveling the playing field in the event of a conflict.
It is also important to note that Russia has been actively involved in the space arena, with reports of its jamming technology rendering U.S. weapons useless in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, China has been accusing rival nations of attempting to steal its space research findings, emphasizing the strategic importance of space in geopolitical competition. This new U.S. jamming technology could further escalate tensions in the space sector, as China and Russia may perceive it as a threat to their space capabilities, potentially leading to further developments in space warfare technology.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari
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