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Subject
Anti-satellite weapons.
Significance
The United States, Russia and China have for decades taken advantage of the ambiguities afforded by dual-use space technologies to develop systems with the potential for use as anti-satellite weapons, even while claiming not to ‘weaponise’ space. However, this has been an incremental process, without the scale, speed and level of priority that ‘arms race’ implies.
Impacts
‘Counterspace’ capabilities will focus on degrading rather than denying an adversary’s use of space systems.
US opposition and the dual-use nature of many relevant technologies will thwart ongoing international efforts to ban space weapons.
Iran and North Korea are far from developing anti-satellite weapons; European countries show no interest in it.
Keywords:
International,
INT,
China,
Europe,
India,
Iran,
Japan,
North Africa,
Russia,
United States,
industry,
international relations,
computers,
private sector,
space,
technology,
defence,
military,
telecommunications
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2019
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