Senior US Space Force generals warned that China has become the nation's top threat in space, rapidly expanding its orbital military capabilities to challenge American forces.
Speaking at the annual Air & Space Forces Association conference, officials said Beijing is introducing new space technologies almost monthly, a pace they said threatens to undermine America's satellite network.
"China is definitely our biggest threat," Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess, commander of US Space Forces-Space, told attendees.
The assessment reflects a shifting balance of power in orbit, as China's heavy investment in satellites and anti-satellite weapons compels the Pentagon to reassess its strategy.
Building a 'kill chain'
Schiess said the People's Liberation Army is constructing a sophisticated "kill chain"—an attack process designed to target US maritime, land, and air forces "at greater distances than we've ever seen."
By extending surveillance and strike ranges through space-based assets, Beijing is gaining unprecedented capabilities to detect, track, and potentially destroy American forces, he added. These developments, he warned, pose a severe risk to U.S. space infrastructure.
A strategy to weaken America
US intelligence assessments suggest China views counter-space operations as a way to deter and disrupt American military intervention in any regional conflict.
According to the Space Force's latest threat fact sheet, China operated more than 1,189 satellites as of July 2025, a staggering 927% increase since 2015. Over 500 of these satellites carry ISR payloads—equipped with optical, multispectral, radar, and radio-frequency sensors—dramatically boosting Beijing's ability to monitor US aircraft carriers, expeditionary forces, and combat air wings.
Such systems could enable real-time surveillance and precision targeting in the event of a military confrontation, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where tensions around Taiwan and the South China Sea are intensifying.
'Concerning' pace of expansion
Another top general echoed the alarm.
"It's concerning how fast they're going," said Brig. Gen. Brian D. Sidari, a senior intelligence official at US Space Command.
He noted that China is simultaneously modernizing its air force while rapidly deploying new satellites, a two-front expansion that underscores the urgent need for a US response.
Article edited by Jack Wu
