Russia and China are building capabilities to cripple US operations in space, Gen. John Hyten, the nominee to lead US Strategic Command, told lawmakers Tuesday. “We have an amazing force structure in space, and both the Chinese and the Russians in particular have been watching those capabilities be employed on the battlefield for the last 20 years,” Hyten said during his nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. “And in response to that, they’re building counter space capabilities to deny us those capabilities in conflict.” Hyten, who currently leads Air Force Space Command, said the United States is not building similar capabilities, but needs to work faster on building the counter-capabilities that will protect US assets in space. “We’re are moving much slower in certain areas than our adversaries,” he said. “We need our industry and our acquisition process to move faster.” (See also: Making Space More Military from the August issue of Air Force Magazine.)
The Pentagon agency charged with building and operating U.S. spy satellites recently declassified some details about a Cold War-era surveillance program called Jumpseat—a revelation it says sheds light on the importance of satellite imaging technology and how it has advanced in the decades since.
