Mattis: U.S. needs Space Force to counter Russia, China
RIO DE JANEIRO — A U.S. Space Force is necessary to protect American satellites from being targeted by attack weapons in the hands of China and Russia, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday.
Mattis’ comments came days after Vice President Mike Pence announced ambitious plans to create a sixth, separate U.S. military warfighting service by 2020 to ensure American dominance in space.
Speaking during a trip to Brazil, Mattis said repeatedly the U.S. has no plans to put weapons in space, but he emphasized the vital and growing role that satellites play not just in military operations but in the world economy.
He recalled China’s use of a ground-based missile to destroy one of its own nonfunctional weather satellites in January 2007, which he suggested was a calculated demonstration to the United States of Chinese capabilities.
“We understand the message that China was sending — that they could take out a satellite in space,” Mattis said in remarks to about 270 military officers and civilians at Brazil’s premier war college. “Since then our intelligence services have watched other nations, including Russia, develop a space attack capability.”
He was responding to a question from an audience member who expressed concern that the planned Space Force could lead to an international arms race in space.
Mattis said the U.S. cannot ignore potential threats to satellites that are crucial to communication, navigation, weather information and other underpinnings of modern life.
“So this is a reality,” he said. “We are not initiating this. We are saying we will be able to defend our satellites in space. At the same time, if someone is going to try to engage in space with military means, we will not stand idly by. We don’t intend to militarize space. However, we will defend ourselves in space if necessary.”