Lawmakers warn of growing threats to US satellites from adversaries

Bipartisan lawmakers on Tuesday warned of growing threats to U.S. satellite systems and the need to safeguard them from adversaries.

Speaking at The Hill’s “Future of Missile Defense” event, Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) said an attack on U.S. satellites would have far-reaching effects.

“We are so dependent on space for everything we do in our daily lives, we really have no idea. It’s not just our TV, our internet, it’s our ATMs, our banking, all forms of internet and communication,” said Cooper, chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.

“Increasingly, rival nations are looking at ways of taking out our satellites. Hitherto, the space assets we have have been unprotected and we didn’t fear for them at all. Now other nations are spending many billions of dollars to try to develop capabilities to destroy our satellites in that unfriendly domain,” Cooper told The Hill’s Steve Clemons.

Strategic Forces Subcommittee Chair @repjimcooper “Those who serve in the Space Force will be the key to America’s future.” https://t.co/RTvw5M5ME7 pic.twitter.com/9jEbUnqveY

— The Hill Events (@TheHillEvents) June 29, 2021

Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the ranking member on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, said the U.S. is taking steps to guard against any attempt to sabotage satellites.

“We’re working diligently to both strengthen our space assets and to respond to what our adversaries are doing. It’s been widely publicized that Russia and China have both tested systems that would attack satellites and would destroy them. We need to make certain that we can sustain our space capabilities,” Turner said.

Tune in: @TheHill’s Editor-at-Large @SCClemons is joined by Strategic Forces Subcommittee Ranking Member @RepMikeTurner for #TheHillDefense discussion https://t.co/RTvw5M5ME7 pic.twitter.com/wsTjNVY6PC

— The Hill Events (@TheHillEvents) June 29, 2021

Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director of the Missile Defense Agency, who also spoke at the event sponsored by Raytheon Missiles and Defense, said a strong presence in space is needed to provide tactical advantages.

“Space really is an answer and it does close the gap in a geographical sense of where the threats are coming from and may be traveling,” Hill said.

“Being able to look down from space and have a global view becomes critically important and that’s recognized, not just within the Missile Defense Agency, but within the services as the future area for investment and we are moving smartly in that direction,” he said.

VADM Jon A Hill, Director, Missile Defense Agency “From a ballistic missile perspective, particularly the rogue threats are the threats we’re focused on – and that is North Korea and Iran.” #TheHillDefense https://t.co/RTvw5M5ME7 pic.twitter.com/PmbHZ9hpzQ

— The Hill Events (@TheHillEvents) June 29, 2021