China is becoming increasingly aggressive in space and is now practicing coordinated satellite maneuvers that look a lot like classic aerial combat, a US Space Force General has said. He warns that America needs to be prepared for an off-planet conflict.
Speaking at the McAleese Defense Programs Conference in Washington, the vice chief of space operations, General Michael Guetlein, said that China has been aggressively developing capabilities in space and that this is a threat to American superiority.
That’s not really anything new, as China has never hidden its ambitions in space. In 2025 alone, the country is reportedly targeting around 100 orbital launches, and in January, it launched a refueling station in geosynchronous equatorial orbit to service its satellite fleet.
Improved capabilities for maintaining and prolonging the operational lifespan of satellites already in orbit can reduce costs and improve sustainability in space operations.
But there’s more, Guetlein said. Quite obviously, on-orbit satellite refueling might be useful for both peacetime and wartime scenarios, and, according to the general, there are clear signs China is preparing for the possibility of off-planet warfare.
"We observed five objects in space moving in and out and around each other in synchrony and in control. That's what we call dogfighting in space – they are practicing tactics, techniques, and procedures to do in-orbit space operations from one satellite to another,” Guetlein said.
Commercial satellites first spotted the maneuvers – that looked like offensive drills – and relayed the information to the US Space Force.
Guetlein didn’t explicitly say that these were Chinese satellites – but a Space Force spokesperson later confirmed it in an email sent to reporters.
“Gen. Guetlein referenced Chinese satellite maneuvers observed in space. China conducted a series of proximity operations in 2024 involving three Shiyan-24C experimental satellites and two Chinese experimental space objects, the Shijian-6 05A/B. These maneuvers were observed in low Earth orbit. These observations are based on commercially available information,” the spokesperson said.
“Dogfighting” between satellites in space would, of course, be very different and much slower than our imagination would want it to be. The laws of physics mean that any kind of space war would take days if not weeks.
However, the use of this well-known term highlights the need for the Space Force to improve its capabilities and maintain space superiority in any future conflict.
According to Guetlein, China already has a large fleet of active signal jammers in space. It’s also spoofing traffic and generally behaving much more aggressively.
“Unfortunately, our current adversaries are willing to go against international norms of behavior, and they’re willing to do it in very unsafe and unprofessional manners,” said the general.
“The new norms of behavior in space are jamming, spoofing, and dazzling. Cyber hacks are happening around us on a daily basis. What’s more concerning is the new kit they’re bringing to space. The environment has completely changed.”
Guetlein said that there used to be a capability gap between America and its “near peers,” mainly driven by the United States' technological advancement. That capability gap is now significantly narrowing and may soon reverse.
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