WASHINGTON — The vice chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, Gen. Michael Guetlein, issued a stark warning this weekend about China’s accelerating advances in space technology and its growing capacity to challenge the United States’ dominance in orbit.
Speaking Dec. 7 at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, Guetlein described the evolving space environment as increasingly hostile, marked by the erosion of longstanding norms and the emergence of new threats to U.S. space assets.
“The adversary is quickly shrinking that gap, and we have got to change the way we approach space pretty rapidly,” Guetlein said. “Today that capability gap is in our favor, but if it goes negative on us, it’s going to be a really bad day.”
While Guetlein refrained from specifying particular Chinese actions, he painted a picture of a dramatically altered strategic landscape. In the past, there was a tacit “gentleman’s agreement” not to interfere with each other’s space systems, Guetlein said. But today, that restraint has dissolved, giving way to increasingly bold tactics such as jamming GPS signals, spoofing satellite communications, conducting cyberattacks, and deploying unmanned surveillance aircraft.
“This new norm of behavior is very unsafe and unprofessional,” Guetlein said, warning that such activities could escalate into major strategic crises if left unchecked.
China’s space ambitions have been well-documented in recent years. Its military space program has developed anti-satellite weapons, advanced satellite jammers, and other capabilities designed to disrupt U.S. satellites critical to navigation, communication, and missile defense. Experts say such capabilities could undermine the United States’ ability to project power in a conflict.
Space Force’s response
Guetlein emphasized that addressing the threat will require a fundamental shift in how the United States…
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