Russia developing 'disturbing' anti-satellite weapons: US warns

Russia developing 'disturbing' anti-satellite weapons: US warns

The United States says Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon, but also insists Moscow has yet to launch the program.

The statement by White House spokesman John Kirby followed a vague warning from a senior Republican about a "serious threat to national security".

The weapon is space-based and equipped with nuclear weapons to target satellites, reports CBS News, the BBC's American partner.

On Thursday, a White House spokesman did not confirm this and declined to provide further details about the threat.

Moscow has accused the United States of using claims of new Russian weapons to pressure Congress into approving additional aid to Ukraine.

John Kirby, who was recently promoted to the position of chief of staff to President Joe Biden, told reporters that there is no immediate threat to the American people from the weapon.

"We are not talking about a weapon that could be used to attack humans or wreak havoc here on Earth."

He says President Biden has been briefed on the intelligence report and that the US administration is taking the development of the weapon "very seriously".

He added that President Biden has already ordered "direct diplomatic contact with Russia" over the threat.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner on Wednesday issued a classified warning about a serious threat to national security, prompting a flurry of rumors in the US capital.

Later Thursday, Mike Turner and other members of the committee met with national security adviser Jack Sullivan to discuss the matter further.

After the meeting, Mike Turner said, "We're all leaving with the impression that the administration is taking this very seriously and that the administration has a plan." Will support it.

Talk of space weapons may sound like something out of a superhero movie or science fiction novel, but military experts have long warned that space is likely to be the next battlefield.

What do we know about this threat?

So far, apart from John Kirby, no US government official has yet publicly disclosed any specific details about the threat.

National security adviser Jack Sullivan suggested the silence was deliberate. On Wednesday, he told reporters that the US should first prioritize the "sources and methods" its security agencies use to gather intelligence about threats.

The New York Times, ABC and CBS reported that the warning was related to Russia's development of nuclear-capable weapons that could be used to target US satellites in space.

John Kirby told reporters there was no evidence the weapon had been deployed, but stressed the US was taking the threat "very seriously".

For years, US officials and aerospace experts have warned that Russia and China are steadily building up their military capabilities in space as they seek to catch up with the US.

The Washington, DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies released a report last year that said Russia was developing a range of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. According to the report, the weapons include a missile that was successfully test-fired at a defunct Soviet-era satellite in November 2021.

Kerry Bingen, a former top Pentagon intelligence official, is one of the report's authors. He told the BBC that during its war in Ukraine, Russia had already used a variety of methods to disrupt satellite communications, such as cyber attacks and jamming satellite signals.

Should the public be concerned about this?

Senior lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, say the public needn't worry.

Mike Turner has also come under some criticism for announcing the threat. Fellow Republican Andy Ogles has accused him of not caring about the welfare of the American people.

However, experts and former officials have warned that any threat to US satellites could have far-reaching effects.

More than any of its potential global rivals, the U.S. military relies heavily on satellites for everything from surveillance and missile launch detection to sea and air navigation, GPS-guided bombs and battlefield communications.

"Our military, and the way it fights and the weapons we build, all depend on space capabilities," said Bingen, who has served as the second-highest intelligence official in the US Department of Defense. 'Without it, we would be in a very difficult situation,' he says. We will not be able to fight the way we have been fighting for the last 30 or 40 years.

The civilian world is also heavily dependent on satellites. Satellites are used for everyday tasks ranging from GPS-assisted rides and food delivery to weather forecasting, agriculture and financial transactions, everything depends on satellites.

"Satellites are integral to our daily lives," Bingen said, adding that "the American people, and citizens around the world, depend on space and don't even know it."

Are there any rules about space weapons?

The US, Russia and China already have the capability to attack satellites around the world. But, in principle, they cannot use nuclear weapons there.

All three countries are signatories to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits countries from sending into orbit anything that could carry 'nuclear weapons or any weapons of mass destruction'.

Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Mick Milroy said the deal does not provide any security guarantees in the current geopolitical environment.

He says that "Russia has shown determination to use military force against all international laws and norms in Ukraine, completely ignoring the agreements it has signed."

"They don't keep their word and they don't keep their agreements."

Matthew Kroing is Commissioner of the Congressional Commission on America's Strategic Posture. He has also held defense and intelligence positions during the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations. He told the BBC that it is natural that space has now become the focus of all military forces.

He says that until now humans were just exploring space in a way. "But now we're entering a phase where we're looking at the commercialization of space, and that's just the beginning."

He added that in the next phase, countries around the world will focus on making space 'safe'.

"Until now we have taken it for granted that the sea and the sky are freely available for commercial activity," Kroeng says. 'Ideally, in the next 30 years we want to see space as such a place too. Where we can travel and trade, and maybe even live in space.'

'We have to make sure it's a secure domain.'