China fires lasers at U.S. satellites?

NRAJOE · 10-01-2006, 01:13 PM

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../wchina226.xml

China has secretly fired powerful laser weapons designed to disable American spy satellites by "blinding" their sensitive surveillance devices, it was reported yesterday.

The hitherto unreported attacks have been kept secret by the Bush administration for fear that it would damage attempts to co-opt China in diplomatic offensives against North Korea and Iran.

Sources told the military affairs publication Defense News that there had been a fierce internal battle within Washington over whether to make the attacks public. In the end, the Pentagon's annual assessment of the growing Chinese military build-up barely mentioned the threat.

"After a contentious debate, the White House directed the Pentagon to limit its concern to one line," Defense News said.

The document said that China could blind American satellites with a ground-based laser firing a beam of light to prevent spy photography as they pass over China.

According to senior American officials: "China not only has the capability, but has exercised it." American satellites like the giant Keyhole craft have come under attack "several times" in recent years.

Although the Chinese tests do not aim to destroy American satellites, the laser attacks could make them useless over Chinese territory.

The American military has been so alarmed by the Chinese activity that it has begun test attacks against its own satellites to determine the severity of the threat.

Satellites are especially vulnerable to attack because they have predetermined orbits, allowing an enemy to know where they will appear.

"The Chinese are very strategically minded and are extremely active in this arena. They really believe all the stuff written in the 1980s about the high frontier," said one senior former Pentagon official.

There has been increasing alarm in parts of the American military establishment over China's growing military ambitions.

Military experts have already noted that Chinese military expenditure is increasingly designed to challenge American military pre-eminence by investing in weaponry that can attack key systems such as aircraft carriers and satellites.

At the same time, China is engaged in a large-scale espionage effort against American high-tech firms working on projects such as the multibillion-pound DD(X) destroyer programme.

Several spy rings have been cracked and the FBI is increasing the number of counter-intelligence staff tracking the Chinese effort.

SPOCAHP ANAR · 10-01-2006, 01:33 PM

Why does one think its OK if we spend 100 million on a satellite to sneak a peek at China's military and industrial secrets yet claim foul if they try to do something about it. Unlike the stunt they pulled when Bush first got in office that could have very well gotten someone killed, this is a simple remedy to a delicate situation which involves noone getting hurt.

Pretty ingenious. Lasers!

China is going to be a threat to us in the near future. They are determined not to fail where the Russians did. We have been asleep at the wheel ever since the fall of Communist Russia.

Chris · 10-01-2006, 02:27 PM

I think they are already a serious threat.

tommy · 10-01-2006, 09:26 PM

to bad we to broke to do anything about them now!!

Rave · 10-01-2006, 09:38 PM

Stay the course,If we win in Iraq the rest of the world will fall into place,so sayith the king.

troy2000 · 10-02-2006, 05:36 PM

In their shoes I'd be doing the same thing, if I could. But I'll admit that I like the idea of being able to see what they're up to.

It would be a little awkward to complain to them, wouldn't it? "How DARE you block the view while I'm trying to spy on you?"

BattleRifleG3 · 10-02-2006, 08:45 PM

I think this is more of a wake up call that we're not as friendly as we like to tell each other we are.

Rave · 10-03-2006, 01:40 PM

I think the world is already aware of that.

10-01-2006, 01:13 PM	#1
NRAJOE Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Toledo,OH Posts: 19,052 Images: 3	China fires lasers at U.S. satellites? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../wchina226.xml China has secretly fired powerful laser weapons designed to disable American spy satellites by "blinding" their sensitive surveillance devices, it was reported yesterday. The hitherto unreported attacks have been kept secret by the Bush administration for fear that it would damage attempts to co-opt China in diplomatic offensives against North Korea and Iran. Sources told the military affairs publication Defense News that there had been a fierce internal battle within Washington over whether to make the attacks public. In the end, the Pentagon's annual assessment of the growing Chinese military build-up barely mentioned the threat. "After a contentious debate, the White House directed the Pentagon to limit its concern to one line," Defense News said. The document said that China could blind American satellites with a ground-based laser firing a beam of light to prevent spy photography as they pass over China. According to senior American officials: "China not only has the capability, but has exercised it." American satellites like the giant Keyhole craft have come under attack "several times" in recent years. Although the Chinese tests do not aim to destroy American satellites, the laser attacks could make them useless over Chinese territory. The American military has been so alarmed by the Chinese activity that it has begun test attacks against its own satellites to determine the severity of the threat. Satellites are especially vulnerable to attack because they have predetermined orbits, allowing an enemy to know where they will appear. "The Chinese are very strategically minded and are extremely active in this arena. They really believe all the stuff written in the 1980s about the high frontier," said one senior former Pentagon official. There has been increasing alarm in parts of the American military establishment over China's growing military ambitions. Military experts have already noted that Chinese military expenditure is increasingly designed to challenge American military pre-eminence by investing in weaponry that can attack key systems such as aircraft carriers and satellites. At the same time, China is engaged in a large-scale espionage effort against American high-tech firms working on projects such as the multibillion-pound DD(X) destroyer programme. Several spy rings have been cracked and the FBI is increasing the number of counter-intelligence staff tracking the Chinese effort. __________________ U.S. Army 1976-1979 237th Combat Engineers Heilbronn, Germany

10-01-2006, 01:33 PM	#2
SPOCAHP ANAR Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: SC-upstate Posts: 4,096 Images: 3 Blog Entries: 4	Why does one think its OK if we spend 100 million on a satellite to sneak a peek at China's military and industrial secrets yet claim foul if they try to do something about it. Unlike the stunt they pulled when Bush first got in office that could have very well gotten someone killed, this is a simple remedy to a delicate situation which involves noone getting hurt. Pretty ingenious. Lasers! China is going to be a threat to us in the near future. They are determined not to fail where the Russians did. We have been asleep at the wheel ever since the fall of Communist Russia. __________________ Spocrest Out!.......... Last edited by SPOCAHP ANAR; 10-01-2006 at 01:37 PM.

10-01-2006, 02:27 PM	#3
Chris HMFIC Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,834,168 Images: 19 Blog Entries: 18	I think they are already a serious threat. __________________ Rules \| Contributing Members No one has the right to deny my personal safety Please be descriptive in your thread titles!

10-01-2006, 09:38 PM	#5
Rave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 6,877	Stay the course,If we win in Iraq the rest of the world will fall into place,so sayith the king. __________________ USAF '62-'66 .

10-02-2006, 05:36 PM	#6
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 9,460 Images: 9	I can't say as I blame them In their shoes I'd be doing the same thing, if I could. But I'll admit that I like the idea of being able to see what they're up to. It would be a little awkward to complain to them, wouldn't it? "How DARE you block the view while I'm trying to spy on you?" __________________ If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France

10-01-2006, 09:26 PM	#4
tommy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: schriever la Posts: 4,034 Images: 6	to bad we to broke to do anything about them now!!

10-02-2006, 08:45 PM	#7
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	I think this is more of a wake up call that we're not as friendly as we like to tell each other we are. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

10-03-2006, 01:40 PM	#8
Rave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tampa Posts: 6,877	I think the world is already aware of that. __________________ USAF '62-'66 .