The US Space Force is calling out China as a “tremendous threat” in space, saying the country is advancing rapidly.
US Space Force became the sixth branch of the US military in late 2019, tasked with protecting US interests in space. US Space Force vice chief of space operations, Gen. David Thompson, said the US is still the leader in space, but China is rapidly catching up.
“China is a tremendous threat…I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion they will be the leader in space at the end of the decade, but they’re on an incredible pace,” Gen. Thompson told Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday.
“We are still the best in the world in space. Our capabilities are the best in the world of space, but they’re moving aggressively, they’re moving quickly and we need to adapt our approach.”
The US and China are already competing on multiple fronts, and have engaged in a years-long, costly trade war. It appears space is set to be the next battleground of their rivalry.