Posted on Thursday, 29 December 2011

While China still lags the United States and Russia in overall space technology, over the last decade it has rapidly become a state-of-the-art competitor in space-based surveillance after deploying a range of advanced satellite constellations that serve military and civilian agencies. With the launch of more than 30 surveillance satellites over the last decade, according to space technology experts, the PLA can monitor an expanding area of the earth’s surface with increased frequency, an important element of reliable military reconnaissance. That coverage gives PLA commanders vastly improved capability to detect and track potential military targets. Real-time satellite images and data can also be used to coordinate the operations of China’s naval, missile and strike aircraft forces in operations far from the mainland. “What we are seeing is China broadly acquiring the same capabilities in this area as those held by the U.S.,” said Ross Babbage, a defense analyst and founder of the Canberra-based Kokoda Foundation, an independent security policy unit. “Essentially, they are making most of the Western Pacific far more transparent to their military.”

While China still lags the United States and Russia in overall space technology, over the last decade it has rapidly become a state-of-the-art competitor in space-based surveillance after deploying a range of advanced satellite constellations that serve military and civilian agencies.

With the launch of more than 30 surveillance satellites over the last decade, according to space technology experts, the PLA can monitor an expanding area of the earth’s surface with increased frequency, an important element of reliable military reconnaissance.

That coverage gives PLA commanders vastly improved capability to detect and track potential military targets.

Real-time satellite images and data can also be used to coordinate the operations of China’s naval, missile and strike aircraft forces in operations far from the mainland.

“What we are seeing is China broadly acquiring the same capabilities in this area as those held by the U.S.,” said Ross Babbage, a defense analyst and founder of the Canberra-based Kokoda Foundation, an independent security policy unit.

“Essentially, they are making most of the Western Pacific far more transparent to their military.”

Notes