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The head of U.S. Space Command mentioned the U.S. is “very concerned” that Russia may be creating a nuclear weapon in space to focus on satellites, warning such a transfer may disrupt international communications, GPS programs and day by day life on Earth.
Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, the commander of U.S. Space Command, made the remarks throughout an look on The General & The Journalist, a weekly podcast by The Times.
“Russia remains a very historic and sophisticated space power. Yes, they have been hurt by economic sanctions, but they continue to invest in counter-space weapons, with the most concerning reports being that they are potentially thinking about placing on orbit a nuclear ASAT weapon,” he added. “That would violate the Outer Space Treaty that they’re a party to, and it would hold at risk everyone’s satellites in low Earth orbit, and that would be an outcome that we just couldn’t tolerate.”
Whiting famous that space is taken into account a world commons, with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty — signed by practically each nation, together with all main space powers — prohibiting claims of sovereignty.
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Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, nominee to be common and commander of the U.S. Space Command, waits to testify through the Senate Armed Services Committee affirmation listening to on the nominations of Lt. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, nominee to be common and commander of the U.S. Northern Command and commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, and on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. ((Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc through Getty Images))
He mentioned that differs from earlier eras when explorers would plant flags to assert land for a king or nation.
Whiting stopped in need of confirming the underlying intelligence, however emphasised the seriousness of the priority.
“I won’t speak about our intelligence sources and methods, but obviously it’s a report that we’re very concerned about,” he mentioned.
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President Vladimir Putin declares Russia’s nuclear triad improvement an “absolute priority” on Defender of the Fatherland Day, emphasizing strategic deterrence capabilities. (Contributor/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon for additional touch upon the matter.
A nuclear detonation in low Earth orbit — which spans roughly 100 to 1,200 miles above Earth — may have devastating penalties for each army and civilian infrastructure, based on Whiting.
“All of low Earth orbit would be in danger, and you already know, that is over 10,000 satellites at present with these new proliferated low earth orbit constellations like Starlink,” he mentioned.
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An image of the International Space Station over the northeast coast of the United States. (NASA)
Such an occasion may cripple satellite tv for pc networks that underpin GPS, communications, monetary programs and international web entry.
Whiting famous that most individuals don’t notice how dependent trendy life is on space-based programs.
“The average citizen around the world probably doesn’t think about how space enables their life every day, but if they carry a smartphone in their pocket, they are leveraging space multiple times a day,” he mentioned.
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A Russian rocket launches into space alongside a picture of Russia’s president, as U.S. officers warn Moscow may be exploring a nuclear anti-satellite weapon able to disrupting international satellite tv for pc programs. (Rocket: Reuters ; Putin: Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo through AP)
He prompt Russia may view space-based attacks as a solution to offset what it sees as U.S. and NATO benefits in typical warfare.
“From a Russian perspective, they look at the United States, they look at NATO and they see a conventional overmatch there of conventional arms,” Whiting mentioned. “They believe that novel ways of trying to undermine the United States and NATO, such as by neutralizing our space capabilities, helps them to level the battlefield.”
Whiting additionally pointed to ongoing Russian exercise focusing on satellite tv for pc programs, together with widespread interference in Europe.
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“Clearly across Europe, we have seen sustained satellite communication jamming and GPS jamming,” he mentioned.
He warned that such actions are already having real-world penalties, significantly for civilian aviation.
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“The real problem with that GPS jamming, for example, is it’s being done in a way that’s affecting civil aviation in Eastern Europe and across Southern Europe,” Whiting mentioned.
“When we put at risk civilian airliners full of citizens just trying to go on business or holiday, that’s incredibly problematic,” he added. “We do not want to see this normalization of trying to interfere with other satellites.”
