In Geopolitics Today - Monday, November 15th
Russia Conducts Anti-Satellite Missile Test and China Making Strides in Domestically Developed Jet Engines
Russia Conducts Anti-Satellite Missile Test
Russia has conducted a new anti-satellite missile test, bringing about a dangerous cloud of space debris in the process. The anti-satellite missile was launched from the ground and aimed at one of Russia’s own satellites, Kosmos-1408, a satellite in orbit since 1982 and no longer in operational use. The destruction of the obsolete satellite is said to have generated more than 1,500 pieces of debris, threatening other satellites as well as the International Space Station (ISS). Crew aboard the ISS were apparently ordered to close hatches and retreat into the Soyuz and Crew Dragon crafts for safety as the space station neared the debris field caused by the missile test. The launch marks the third anti-satellite test conducted by Russia this year, and this latest launch has been condemned by the United States as a reckless mission which has endangered the crew aboard the ISS.
Anti-satellite weapons — such as the one tested by Russia — shatter their intended targets and pose a space hazard by creating a cloud of fragments and debris which can collide with other objects, with the potential to set off a chain reaction of projectiles. While the ISS is fitted with dedicated debris shields designed to withstand impact from particles as large as 1 cm in diameter, the unpredictability of debris trajectory is nonetheless a real cause for concern. While small pieces of debris have on many occasions collided with the ISS, thus far, no such collisions have seriously damaged the ISS, nor have such events come to dramatically affecting the safety of the crew or the operation of the ISS mission. The space station currently hosts four American, one German and two Russian astronauts.
The test has been condemned by the United States, which claims its agencies received no advanced warning of the missile test. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the test, and called upon allies as well as “all responsible spacefaring nations” to increase their efforts at establishing internationally-recognised norms aimed at limiting such tests. The United States relies on a vast network of satellites for commercial and military purposes, which means Russian anti-satellite capabilities pose a direct threat to their satellite constellation. Russia’s space agency Roscosmos rebuked US accusations and stressed that it was closely monitoring the debris situation in order to “prevent and counter” all threats to the ISS and its crew.
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China Making Strides in Domestically Developed Jet Engines
China has for many years sought to develop powerful jet engines for use in the production of advanced fighter aircraft. But despite the best efforts of Chinese engineers, its domestic engine designs have not been able to reach a stage reliable enough to be fitted onto aircraft intended for active military service. While China has long relied on importing jet engines used in its advanced fighter programs from Russia, China’s intensified efforts at cultivating a domestic aircraft manufacturing industry are slowly paying off, reducing Beijing’s reliance on imports. China now appears to be closing in on Russian capabilities in engine performance and reliability, and is even beginning to surpass Russian designs in key categories.
The Chinese aircraft manufacturing industry is booming. Today, many of the components required for the production of advanced engines used in China’s fighter jets come from Chinese suppliers who are continually developing and perfecting their production capabilities. As Beijing imports fewer and fewer parts needed for its engine designs, Chinese engineers continue to improve the design and manufacturing problems of its locally-produced WS-10 and WS-15 jet engines. For instance, China’s WS-10C engine is now in mass production, which means that China will soon possess an improved and reliable engine to be fitted into its J-20 fighter aircraft. The domestically made WS-10 and WS-10C going into mass production also means that China will no longer have a need for the Russian AF-31 engines currently used in most Chinese fighter jets.
Both Russia and China are seeking to domestically build an engine that will match the performance of the US-made F119 fitted into the advanced F-22 and F-35 fighter jets, enabling both these fighter aircraft with agile manoeuvring and super cruise capabilities. At the moment, China appears ahead of Russia in the race to match the performance of the F119. The introduction of the J-31 and J-20 fighter aircraft are a tell-tale sign that China is determined to develop its own high-tech military gear. At the same time, China is eager to develop locally-produced advanced military technology which is reliable by developing competing designs and supporting industries as part of the development process.
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