Abstract
Since China’s successful test of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons in 2007, a growing interest in this type of weapons has been observed worldwide. Attention is mainly paid to the capabilities of the Middle Kingdom (China) and the United States, while often neglecting those of Russia. However, in view of the growing rivalry between global superpowers, a return to perceiving international security in terms of “spheres of influence”, the increasing militarisation of space, and Moscow’s successful test of anti-satellite weapons conducted on 15 November 2022, it seems advisable to conduct a comparative analysis of the ASAT capabilities of the three largest military powers in the world. This article presents the technological infrastructure of the United States, Russia, and China, the anti-satellite weapons tests conducted, and the attitude of the political elites towards these weapons. During the research, studies and articles published in the following papers and released by the following institutions were used:National Defence University, Contemporary Security Policy, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, The Space Review, The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Foreign Policy, Globalsecurity, Defence24, Arms Control Association, Air&Space Forces, US Department of Defence, Secure World Foundation, Project2049 Institute. Before commencing the research, the following questions were formulated: Which of the three superpowers has the greatest ASAT potential? What are the means of destroying satellites, alternative to direct strike? What is the direction of the ongoing militarisation of space and the development of anti-satellite weapons? According to the author of this article, effective anti-satellite weapons are available to all three states under consideration, including direct-ascent anti-satellite weapons for the direct destruction of satellites (the US SM-3, the Russian PL-19 Nudol, and the Chinese SC-19 and DN-2), hypersonic weapons that can be used to destroy command and control centres located on the enemy’s land, hacking attacks enabling the disruption of satellite operation, rendezvous and proximity operations (RPOs) involving satellites that perform deliberate manoeuvres to get closer to other space objects, and laser or nuclear weapons deployed in space. Despite the progress made by China and Russia in the field of space militarisation, the United States’ ASAT potential is still the greatest. It comprises over 400 SM-3 missiles deployed on warships, SM-3 missiles in Poland and Romania, and 44 ground-based interceptors, with another 20 planned to be deployed in the future. Some of Russia and China’s systems are still at the testing stage and, while the exact number is not known, it appears reasonable to assume that the number of those already in use is low and the systems at hand would be treated primarily as deterrents and weapons of last resort.