Military & Aerospace

Weaponisation of Space
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Issue Vol. 28.3 Jul-Sep 2013 | Date : 19 Oct , 2013

The ability to destroy satellites in orbit around the earth has been demonstrated by China who employed an anti-satellite device to ‘kill’ one of their own life-expired weather satellites. The USA and Russia have this capability and India claims to possess this technology. The flipside is that the vast amount of space debris generated would threaten other satellites, space vehicles and manned space missions.

China will have no compunctions about sharing military technology with Pakistan…

The USA’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is working on a technology wherein a device uses electromagnets to shoot a stream of molten metal at very high velocity at intended targets. Directed energy weapons use lasers, microwaves and particle beams. The USA is developing a Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) which can be fired at enemy targets from the earth or from an orbiting satellite.

Cosmic satellites are created by employing nano-satellite or microsatellite technologies. These could swarm over an intended target or attach themselves to target in a ‘suicide’ mission. High altitude weapon using electro-magnetic energy may destroy or disrupt electrical and electronic devices aboard a satellite rendering it useless.

During the Cold War era, the Soviet Union, in a strategic attempt to evade the North American Air Defence (NORAD) system had developed a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) that would employ a low polar orbit to attack US targets from the South which is opposite to the direction the NORAD system was oriented. The SALT 2 agreement of 1979 prohibited the deployment of FOBS.

India and International Treaties

It can be taken for granted that despite the OST, countries like the USA, China and Russia would continue to develop space weapon capabilities. India’s stand on space weaponisation is not available in the public domain. But considering India’s behaviour regarding international treaties, it is unlikely that India would develop such capabilities. Before going nuclear India had, for a long time, refused to sign either the NPT or the CTBT because of their discriminatory nature. As such, legally, India did not violate any treaty while going nuclear.

Today, satellites of many countries, including India, orbit in space and are used for multifarious military purposes…

However, India has abided by all its other international or bilateral treaties. The water-sharing treaty that India signed with Pakistan has been honoured despite the many occasions when relations between the two countries have deteriorated, sometimes resulting in conflict. So India will not transgress the OST stipulations even if its rivals like China do so. And China, as demonstrated on earlier occasions, will have no compunctions about sharing military technology with Pakistan.

Indigenous Aerospace Industry

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully achieved many of its goals. India today has harnessed space technology for broadcasting, education, monitoring weather, remote sensing, disaster warning and recently for navigation for both civil and military users. In 2008, ISRO sent a lunar probe Chandrayaan-1 to collect data from the moon’s surface. The next major objective is to launch a manned space mission to the moon. Preparations for this mission are underway.

While ISRO has done commendable work in India’s quest for space technology, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) can only claim limited success in its areas of interest. Except for the Dhruv helicopters, the DRDO has not made any significant contribution to India’s military aviation capability. Its projects such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, the INSAS rifle and the Arjun Main Battle Tank have been beset with problems. The Indian Navy, which has managed to wrest control over indigenous warship manufacturing, is doing relatively better than the other two services. The fiasco over the basic flying trainer aircraft and the intermediate jet trainer has left the Indian Air Force in the lurch. The DRDO and defence production establishments have been unable to satisfy the Indian Army’s requirements of a variety of small arms, light and heavy artillery.

Except for the Dhruv helicopters, the DRDO has not made any significant contribution to India’s military aviation capability…

Can India Do It?

The armed forces, DRDO and ISRO work in near impervious compartments and to develop space weapons, all three have to work in close collaboration. That is unlikely scenario in the foreseeable future even if there is the political will to vigorously pursue national security objectives and interests. That too is unlikely given the current state of paralysis in policy formulation at the level of the central government. India demonstrates timidity and lack of confidence while dealing with other powers, especially the potential adversaries.

The Indian establishment tends to wallow in its own weaknesses. India’s pursuit of national security interests is half-hearted and weak-kneed. Unless the national leadership can get its act together on Mother Earth, an Indian vision, if there is one, of creating a space weaponisation capability will be an unrealisable objective remaining but a mirage.

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The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the Indian Defence Review.

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Air Marshal Narayan Menon

Air Marshal Narayan Menon

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One thought on “Weaponisation of Space

  1. These are excellent views and a very enriching article on the outer space But most of it is only from the angle or point of view of UNO orientation ….not from the Weaponization angle really ….As the real countries who today are capable of weponizing the space do not follow any norms or rules & regulations of the UNO etc..They all are group of UNSC permanent members for too long and none of them need to follow any such rules .. Rules are made for Dogs … Not Lions …& These lions of the space has made these Rules now for other nations to Follow …. UNO is just a showoff .. the rulers of the world and the decision makers make the rules and drive them as per their business benefits for every Space maneuver ever done by any country what -so ever till date …So whats the point of UNO Rules and this that … we were expecting some International ” Satellite systems facts ” & figures of their strength & Disaster power & so on from a person of this repute in the indian Defence ….. like for Instance the laser guided US Satellite weaponry systems etc & some more facts about the same …..kindly talk on that fact in your next article please … regards .

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