As discussed by users above, it looks like potentially two of the 22 satellites just put into orbit minutes ago by SpaceX are Starshield related.
US Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter tphuang
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I don't know if they have an official one yet. They have the launch capacity though to deploy a large constellation of LEO satellites if needed in a short period of time.
They obviously don't have a Falcon equivalent rocket so they have to rely on expendable rockets to get the job done. On top of that, as far as I am aware, most of their rockets still use hypergolic fuels. I guess you could argue that makes any deployment of a Chinese LEO constellation less efficient (cost and material expended), but I doubt that really matters much.
In some ways you could look at this problem from a Chinese standpoint as two fold.
1). They need to develop a LEO constellation of observation satellites.
2). They need to develop a reliable and reusable rocket(s) that can launch on the scale of the Falcon family (Starship could bring a whole new level of capacity beyond what Falcon offers so that target isn't stationary).
I think long term the rocket is much more important since the LEO constellation is probably much less technically demanding.
The obvious next step is to develop their own equivalent.
You won't hear much about counterspace as that firmly belongs in the 'top secret' category of capabilities but there is 0% chance that nations aren't thinking about it now that we're about to see an acceleration of military constellations.
Preferably non-kinetic capabilities that won't degrade your own ability to use space.
Absolute behemoth in the water! I had no clue the Battleship New Jersey was so well preserved. It still has all of the eighties modifications mounted (four CIWIS stations, harpoon launchers, SEWIP mounted, etc). Apparently it needs an overhaul, but it honestly looks like it is in amazing condition.
First pictures of F-22 with low observable IRST pods and low observable fuel tanks.
Well the tanks and IRST should keep F22 relevant in a Pacific fight but whatever stealth measures have been taken are unlikely to have improved the overall RCS of the aircraft as a whole.First pictures of F-22 with low observable IRST pods and low observable fuel tanks.
They need a platform with more range that is available. F-22 is at the end of his life even if it can carry auxiliary fuel tanks and F-35 is short legged.