Defense Intelligence Agency says China is expanding satellite weapons to counter U.S. military power – Defence Industry Europe

Defense Intelligence Agency says China is expanding satellite weapons to counter U.S. military power  Defence Industry Europe

China is expanding its arsenal of weapons to disrupt or destroy satellites as it seeks to deter foreign intervention in regional conflicts, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said. China is expanding its arsenal of weapons to disrupt or destroy satellites as it seeks to deter foreign intervention in regional conflicts, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said. The buildup includes missiles, lasers, jammers and orbital technologies that could threaten the space networks supporting U.S. military operations. Beijing sees American dependence on satellites for reconnaissance, communications and precision strikes as a vulnerability, according to the assessment. The People’s Liberation Army probably views attacks on those systems as a way to discourage or prevent other countries from intervening in a conflict.

“The PLA’s objectives include space dominance: the ability to control the space-enabled information sphere and deny its adversaries their own space-based information gathering and communications capabilities,” the report said. Its weapons development gives Chinese commanders options ranging from temporary interference to the permanent destruction of spacecraft. China is building those capabilities alongside a much larger satellite surveillance network of its own. As of July 2026, it operated more than 510 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellites, more than three times the number in 2018. That network can support the monitoring, tracking and targeting of U.S. and allied forces worldwide, particularly across the Indo-Pacific,