China's space weapons have just been revealed, and it's arsenal is primarily aimed at the U.S., according to the Congressional U.S. - China Economic and Security Review Commission report, which explains the Chinese counter-space arms.
"China is pursuing a broad and robust array of counterspace capabilities, which includes direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles, co-orbital anti-satellite systems, computer network operations, ground-based satellite jammers and directed energy weapons," the Commission said in a draft report, according to Washington Times. "China's nuclear arsenal also provides an inherent anti-satellite capability."
The entire Chinese counter-space program is seen to combine kinetic, electronic and cyber attacks both on American satellites and ground infrastructure that provide support in the event of conflict. For instance, the two direct-ascent missiles now in development can hit satellites located in lower and higher orbits, according to Sputnik News. This is augmented by co-orbital anti-satellite weapons that would be deployed in space to sabotage, disable and destroy enemy space installations.
China demonstrated its space weapon capability in 2008 when it successfully simulated an attack with a mini imaging satellite sent near the International Space Station without notice, Sputnik News reported.
While the U.S. government is yet to address the China's space weapons in a statement, there is an existing $25 billion "Space Program" that aims to protect American satellites and even launch a counterattack if the satellites are sabotaged, HNGN previously reported. It is still not known, however, whether the program is enough to counter the newly revealed Chinese space weapons.
