Is Russia developing an anti-satellite nuclear space weapon?
Star Wars in sight? According to reports in the New York Times, the United States has shared information with Congress and European allies about Russia's progress on a new space-based nuclear weapon. Current and former Washington officials have said the weapon is not in orbit
Russia's militarization of space involves the development of an anti-satellite nuclear weapon.
According to the New York Times, US authorities have informed Congress and European allies that they are in possession of new intelligence information relating to Russia's "nuclear capabilities", which could represent an "international threat". This would be an anti-satellite nuclear weapon in space. Some anonymous officials reported that the new information acquired by the US is "serious", specifying however that the "capabilities" in question are still being developed and have not yet been deployed.
We are not talking, therefore, about an immediate threat to the security of the United States, Ukraine or European countries.
However, the rumors come after the chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, Republican Mike Turner, published a note in which he referred to a "serious threat to national security", inviting the White House to declassify information about it and share them with Congress.
To date, Russia and the United States are by far the leading nuclear powers: together their arsenals hold approximately 90% of the world's nuclear weapons. Additionally, both have advanced military satellites orbiting the Earth. But it should not be forgotten that the 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans nuclear weapons in space.
Although Russia has abandoned many Cold War arms control treaties, considering them a limit on its most important source of military power, the NYT reminds, it is still part of the Outer Space Treaty.
And how does Moscow respond? Today the Kremlin neither confirms nor denies.
THE ALERT FROM WASHINGTON
It all started on Wednesday when Rep. Turner called on the White House to declassify information about a "serious threat to national security." Turner also emailed members of Congress about a “destabilizing foreign military capability,” but provided no details.
This sent Washington into a frenzy trying to get more information.
Some officials became alarmed after reviewing classified intelligence Wednesday and warned of ominous consequences. One congressman called it a potential “geo-strategic game changer.” Citing a current and former US official, the New York Times previously reported that the new intelligence was linked to Russia's attempts to develop a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon.
Also yesterday, President Joe Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, refused to shed light on the hidden threat.
Later sources said the warning was linked to Russian capabilities in space and satellites. One of the sources said the problem was serious but was not related to an active capability nor should it be a cause for panic, US media reported.
WHAT IS THIS RUSSIAN NUCLEAR WEAPON?
Before outlining a Stars Wars scenario, what is certain at the moment is that the exact nature of the weapon – and whether it actually exists – is unclear.
But the menacing satellites could cause all sorts of damage, undermining communications, surveillance, intelligence, command and control around the world, including in the nuclear sphere, Reuters highlights.
In recent years, U.S. officials have raised the alarm about missiles launched from the Earth's surface that can destroy satellites in orbit.
To date, Russia's nuclear arsenal includes land-, sea- and air-based nuclear missiles. It is unclear why Russia would use nuclear weapons to destroy a satellite. The New York Times said the United States does not have the capability to counter such a weapon.
In 2021, Russia conducted an anti-satellite missile test on one of its satellites, fragmenting it into more than 1,500 pieces of debris, which can pose a serious threat to other objects in orbit. The administration is also concerned about Russia's 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile that can fly at speeds between Mach 6 and Mach 8 and is designed to hit land and naval targets, Politico reminds. The hypersonic missile entered service last year aboard a Russian frigate.
THE POSITION OF THE KREMLIN
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that he would not comment on the substance of the reports until the details are revealed by the White House.
“It is obvious that the White House is trying, by hook or by crook, to encourage Congress to vote on a funding bill,” Peskov told the Tass news agency. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Moscow's point man for arms control, accused the United States of "harmful manufacturing", Tass also reports.
TOWARDS THE MILITARIZATION OF SPACE
Finally, as Fortune reminds us, the rapidly evolving threat in space is one of the main reasons why the United States established the US Space Force in 2019.
The militarization of space has to do with new capabilities that China and Russia have already developed that can interfere with critical US communications via satellite, such as GPS and the ability to rapidly detect missile launches. One of the Space Force's key missions is to train troops skilled in detecting and defending against such threats.
In its 2020 Defense Space Strategy, the Pentagon said Beijing and Moscow pose the greatest strategic threat in space, due to their aggressive development of counterspace capabilities and their military doctrine that includes extending conflict into space.
But Russia has not unveiled any nuclear space weapons, at least so far.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/la-russia-sta-sviluppando-arma-spaziale-nucleare-antisatellite/ on Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:10:58 +0000.