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PRC Missile Test Backfires Charles R. Smith The recent Chinese anti-satellite shoot down is turning out to be a rare shoot-down of the communist giant. The missile test was followed by a long silence from officials in Beijing. The reaction from inside Beijing appeared to be disjointed and uncoordinated, something that a centralized — one-party — state should never let happen. Normally, the Chinese government-controlled news outlets would trumpet such a success as another heroic effort of the motherland to overcome the evil forces in the West. Instead, a strange silence has fallen across the Chinese media with the communist government even strong-arming very-liberal Google into censoring news of the event. Senior Republican Sen. Jon Kyl has called the test a "wake-up call" that underlined the vulnerability of U.S. security and communications satellites in space. The test also ended any chance for China to join NASA in any space projects or see a removal of strict U.S. export controls on advanced space technology. In a single shot, China can lay claim to now owning 10 percent of all the dangerous orbital trash flying in space. The wreckage threatens to destroy or disable hundreds of satellites including the International Space Station, the Hubble telescope, and other low earth orbit communications satellites such as Orbitcomm, Iridium, and Globalstar. Ironically, the debris left in orbit from the Chinese missile test also threatens the few satellites that China orbits, including its own future manned Shenzhou space missions. Another turn in the weird science/political news is the fact that in 2005 the U.S. provided China information on orbiting space debris that could threaten the Chinese manned space mission carrying two PRC astronauts. The question now is, after the foolish anti-satellite test, will the U.S. warn China if future Shenzhou-manned spacecraft are going to hit debris from the destroyed PRC target satellite? Story Continues Below
The anti-satellite test may kill more than Chinese astronauts. The missile shot was roundly criticized in European capitals. Several European nations depend on orbiting satellites now threatened by the Chinese space-junk. The result of the Chinese test has been to kill any chance of removing an arms embargo placed on Beijing by Europe since 1989. Several European nations, including France and Italy, already supply some advanced weaponry and electronics to the Chinese army. Instead of new calls for more sales and an end to the embargo, the PRC test has brought calls to end or greatly curtail sales to Beijing. Even Russia, which outwardly greeted the test with little reaction, has quietly moved to slap Beijing's hand. Moscow is very dependant on satellites orbiting in the threatened area especially for communications with the far eastern Siberian territories. China, however, is very dependant on Moscow for arms. One recent act by Moscow has been to cancel delivery of jet engines destined for Beijing. The Chinese had wanted to install the engines inside FC-1 fighter jets for sale to Pakistan. The cancellation has forced Beijing to delay the jet sales and seek lower powered — domestically manufactured — jet engines as an alternative to the Russian built engines. Meanwhile, other nations are pressing ahead with their space warfare plans, assisted by the able efforts of the Chinese military. Iran is currently working on a new long-range rocket test as a preliminary effort to launch a satellite in 2007. Chinese and North Korean space engineers are directly assisting the Iranian project. Chinese missile technology is already responsible for improving the Iranian long-range missile force. Post boost vehicle guidance and control systems from China are in place on the Iranian Shahab-3 long-range missile. The advanced warhead guidance systems enable the Shahab-3 to accurately deliver a nuclear warhead nearly 1,000 miles away. Still, China cannot take full credit for the advanced technology sold to Iran. The original missile guidance and delivery technology was obtained from the U.S. by China during the Clinton administration. China has since re-sold the technology to Iran for use on the Shahab-3. The possibility that Iran may use its newly acquired Chinese technology has not gone unnoticed. On Feb. 11, Israel test fired the Arrow anti-ballistic missile system and successfully intercepted a target simulating an Iranian Shahab 3 medium-range ballistic missile. The Israeli test is part of an ongoing program to enhance the Arrow's capabilities against missiles carrying weapons of mass destruction. The successful intercept has led to speculation that an arms race is already raging in the Middle East between Iran and Israel. The fact that the Iranian missiles have been improved with Chinese technology has also effected how Tel Aviv sees Beijing as an arms market. Despite Chinese assurances, several types of weapons have been sold by Beijing to Iran, which directly affect Israeli security. The issue came to a head during the recent incursion by Israel into Lebanon in the summer of 2006. A Chinese made anti-ship missile sold to Hezbollah by Iran struck an Israeli warship. China recently announced that it was imposing strict controls on the export of nuclear technology. Several potential sellers of advanced U.S. technology, as proof that Beijing is finally taking export controls seriously, greeted the announcement. Clearly, the hope inside several corporate walls was that the administration should relax export controls over high-tech goods bound for China. Yet, China has previously stated that it would adhere to international agreements to control the spread of missile technology. Even as the words were echoing off the walls in Beijing several Chinese companies continued to assist Iran in developing long-range missiles. Chinese nuclear weapons blueprints were found in Libya. Pakistani Dr. Kahn supplied the blueprints to Libya in exchange for hard cold cash. The Libyan government decided, in the wake of the 2003 Iraq invasion, to come clean with its involvement in nuclear weapons and the Chinese blue prints were provided to the U.S. The recent announcement on nuclear exports by Beijing should be taken for what it is worth. China repeatedly stated it was not and would never be involved in the export of advanced nuclear weapons technology. These statements have been proven to be false. The Chinese A-sat test, the Chinese missiles in Hezbollah hands, the Chinese A-bomb designs and the Chinese warhead designs on Iranian ballistic missiles are not accidents or mere coincidences. These are not actions by rebellious or out of control arms merchants. These are pre-meditated, well considered and approved actions set by the PRC government and the People's Liberation Army warlords. Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
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