China Conducts Space-Based Military Drills with Western Nations, US Issues Caution

China has been rehearsing ‘dogfighting in space’ with satellites, a top American space official has revealed. 

According to Gen. Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations at the US Space Force, during the McAleese defense programs conference, it was noted that near-peer adversaries are increasingly engaging in dogfighting exercises in space, specifically involving satellite-on-satellite operations.

He highlighted that through the utilization of commercial assets, observations have been made of five distinct space objects engaging in coordinated and controlled maneuvers in proximity to one another, resembling synchronized movements seen in a dogfight scenario.

Gen. Guetlein explained that these activities constitute what is known as dogfighting in space, indicating that adversaries are actively honing their tactics, techniques, and procedures for conducting on-orbit space operations between satellites.

Shortly after this speech, the Space Force said the general was referring to the observation of five Chinese satellites in low Earth orbit in 2024. 

While dogfighting normally refers to combat between two or more fighter planes, major nations like the US and China are already starting to figure out what warfare might look like in space. 

Guetlein said that on top of China’s training, the US faced additional threats to its space security in the form of rapidly evolving technology. 

He pointed to ‘nesting doll’ satellites, which can separate into two individual units, satellites that have the ability to ‘shadow’ American spacecraft and satellites that have grappling arms that can be used nefariously.

A Long March-11 carrier rocket carrying three satellites blasts off from waters off the coast of Yangjiang, south China’s Guangdong Province, Dec. 26, 2023

A Long March 4B carrying a pair of Chinese Shijian-6 Group 05 satellites has launched successfully from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China’s Inner Mongolia region 

The space official also pointed to Russia’s recent development of a nuclear weapon for space, and said that the US needed to up its capabilities. 

Last year, Russia vetoes a UN resolution calling on all nations to prevent a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space, sparking fears Moscow may be gearing up for a catastrophic cosmic escalation.

The resolution would have called on all countries not to develop or deploy nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in space, as banned under a 1967 international treaty that included the US and Russia.

Russia opposed the resolution, while China abstained, meaning the resolution did not pass despite the support of 13 other nations.

‘Unfortunately, our current adversaries are willing to go against international norms of behavior, go against that gentleman’s agreement, and they’re willing to do it in very unsafe and unprofessional manners,’ Guetlein said. 

He added that the capability gap between the US and its competitors has also ‘significantly narrowed.’ 

Earlier this month, sabre-rattling China announced it was set to boost its defence spending by 7.2% after threatening America with ‘any war’ amid a furious row over Donald Trump’s planned tariffs.

The communist state announced the huge military spending boost as global tensions soared with Beijing and Washington both declaring themselves ready for conflict. 

China’s military shows off their latest missiles during the National Day in Beijing

Soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army march during a parade to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, at Tiananmen Square on October 1, 2019 in Beijing

The comments come a month after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk backed a mission to Mars to investigate the remarkable ‘square structure’ that was captured on NASA’s Mars Orbiter Camera.

The image, which went viral after being shared on Reddit, appears to show a possible archaeological site on the Red Planet. 

Experts are yet to provide any official scientific explanation as to what the structure may be, but that hasn’t stopped conspiracy theorists from arguing it is evidence of alien civilisation on Mars.

The square structure is estimated to measure 235metres on each side, approximately 770ft, according to AI Calculations, CAclubindia reported.