The US Space Force said that rival nations are enhancing their space combat abilities, with China showcasing coordinated satellite movements that experts describe as “dogfighting” in orbit, reports Breaking Defence.
The US Space Force (USSF) is a military branch responsible for organising, training, and equipping forces to protect American interests in space. It was established in 2019 for countering threats from adversaries like China and Russia.
At the McAleese annual Defense Programs Conference, United States space force general Michael Guetlein revealed that observations of five Chinese satellites performing coordinated movements in space indicated sophisticated military tactics.
Guetlein elaborated on the operation, noting that multiple objects were moving in controlled, synchronised patterns around each other. This activity represents orbital combat practice between satellites.
“There are five different objects in space maneuvering in and out around each other, in synchronicity and in control. That’s what we call dogfighting in space. They are practicing tactics, techniques and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another,” Guetlein said.
Verification of Chinese activities
A Space Force spokesperson subsequently confirmed China’s involvement, detailing operations involving Shiyan-24C and Shijian-6 05A/B satellites in low Earth orbit during 2024.
“Gen. Guetlein referenced Chinese satellite maneuvers observed in space. China conducted a series of proximity operations in 2024 involving three Shiyan-24C experimental satellites and two Chinese experimental space objects, the Shijian-6 05A/B. These maneuvers were observed in low Earth orbit. These observations are based on commercially available information,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to Breaking Defense.
LeoLabs, a space monitoring organisation in Colorado, verified the Chinese demonstration and noted ongoing similar activities by Russian spacecraft, specifically a three-spacecraft proximity operation. “The Russians are right in the middle of a three-spacecraft RPO,” the LeoLabs representative was quoted as saying to Breaking Defence.
The US defence department has warned that China and Russia are improving their space capabilities. While satellites have moved close together before, coordinating multiple satellites at once is a big step forward.
Reports indicate Chinese satellites have been monitoring US assets in geosynchronous orbit. Guetlein emphasised the necessity for Space Force adaptation as technological advantages diminish.
The ability to coordinate multiple satellites is a new development, adding to growing threats in space. Guetlein stressed that the Space Force must strengthen its defences to “deter and, if necessary, defeat aggression” in orbit.
“The environment has completely changed. There used to be a capability gap between us and our near peers, mainly driven by the technological advancement of the United States. That capability gap used to be massive. That capability gap is significantly narrowing, and we’ve got change the way we’re looking at space or that capability gap may reverse not be in our favor anymore,” Guetlein said.
