The number of states emphasizing the security uses of space in national policies continued to increase in 2005. In January, the Japanese government introduced a plan to deploy a new generation of spy satellites. Japan also continued talks with the US throughout 2005 on furthering missile defense cooperation. The Israeli Air Force unveiled plans in June to launch additional surveillance satellites to boost intelligence capabilities and to manufacture micro-satellites that could provide information on combat zones (see Space Support for Military Operations). In addition, Yuval Steinitz, chairman of Israel's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that defense and industry officials should consider future developments of "anti-satellite missiles" and "satellite-attacking lasers." India also continued to pay greater attention to the military uses of space. The Indian Air Force urged the government to set up a Strategic Aerospace Command to purportedly facilitate the development of capabilities to degrade space weapons in preparation for "future star wars." While some reports contend that the government has rejected the proposals, Indian Air Force Chief S. P. Tyagi insists that the recommendations are still under consideration, particularly in light of the Parliamentary Standing Committee's declarations that India needs the ability to counter any threat from space. Media reports throughout 2005 revealed significant speculation about China's space capabilities and military-related space intentions, although Chinese officials maintain that the country's space program is solely for peaceful purposes.

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Collard-Wexler, Simon, Thomas Graham et al. Space Security 2006. Waterloo, Ontario: Space Security Index, July 2006. [ 26 quotes ] [ page 60 ]

 

Israel's top lawmaker for defense and security affairs has called for the development and deployment of space-based weapons as part of an integrated sea, air and space force designed to deliver decisive victory in future full-fledged conventional wars. In a rare public discussion on Israel's military use of space, Yuval Steinitz, chairman of the Israel's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, said the nation must compensate for its lack of strategic depth on land by expanding use of sea- and space-based attacks. Specifically, Steinitz urged defense and industry officials to consider future developments of anti-satellite missiles, satellite-attacking lasers and ship-based missiles "that can strike the skies."

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"Israeli Official Urges Space-Based Weapons." Defense News. January 11, 2005.

 

Israel is working to overcome the 6 September 2004 failure of its Shavit-1 SLV and destruction of the Ofeq-6 satellite by developing the Ofeq-7 and the TechSAR surveillance and reconnaissance satellites. TechSAR’s launch is scheduled for 2006 at an estimated cost of $15-million. It has become a top priority for the acquisition of strategic image intelligence, intended to have a 14-kilometer-wide imaging swath. Both the Ofeq and TechSAR satellites were developed indigenously as part of Israel’s plan to expand its recently created military space command and boost reconnaissance capabilities. Additionally, Israel has signed on to cooperate with the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation system and is pursuing air launched surveillance microsatellites. ( More ... )

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Collard-Wexler, Simon, Thomas Graham et al. Space Security 2006. Waterloo, Ontario: Space Security Index, July 2006. [ 26 quotes ]

 

The Indian satellite-based Military Surveillance and Reconnaissance System that was to be operational in 2005 is now scheduled for 2007. A joint venture between ISRO and the Defence Research and Development Organization, the remote sensing satellite system would work with extensive ground-based surveillance systems to enable India to keep watch on all areas of concern within the region, including missile silos. India has also entered into discussions with the Israeli MOD and Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. regarding the possible purchase of a TechSAR reconnaissance satellite. India has not launched any explicitly military satellites to date, though several of its civilian satellites have resolutions that would make them acceptable reconnaissance satellites: Cartosat-1, launched on 7 May 2005, has a resolution of 2.5 meters. The future Cartosat-2 will have better resolution than its predecessor. According to ISRO, Cartosat-2 will provide scene resolution that is better than one meter.

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Collard-Wexler, Simon, Thomas Graham et al. Space Security 2006. Waterloo, Ontario: Space Security Index, July 2006. [ 26 quotes ] [ page 112 ]

 

No doubt, we understand the power of the media, public opinion and mass psychology,” said [Maj. Gen. Ido] Nehushtan, who is responsible for IDF modernization planning. “Al-Manar is a liability, and we’re going to have to improve our ability to counter this threat...”

...the only way to ensure persistent, reliable, wide-area broadcast denial is through an anti-communication satellite system. Israel must develop the means to surgically target signals serving Hizbollah without damaging the spacecraft or disrupting operations of other customers serviced by the broadcast frequencies, he said... ( More ... )

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Shachtman, Noah. "Israel wants to Jam Satellites." Defense News. August 30, 2006.

 

The potential proliferation of technologies demonstrated in Beijing's Jan. 11 ASAT test underscores the need for Israel to protect its growing space arsenal, said Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Maj. Gen. Elyezer Shkedy, commander of Israel's Air and Space Force.

"We are well aware of attempts by hostile states, especially by Iran, to acquire an independent space-launch capability," Peretz said of Tehran's plans to convert its Shahab-3 ballistic missile into a satellite launch vehicle. "We're also aware that … only recently a nation like China proved its ability to physically strike orbiting satellites. This capability compels us to prepare for the most difficult scenarios, in the event that, in the future, enemy states will be able to harm Israeli space assets." ( More ... )

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Opall-Rome, Barbara. "Israel Wary of China ASAT Test." Defense News. February 6, 2007.

 

In a message to defense and industry leaders gathered at a Jan. 31 conference of the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, [Israeli Defense Minister Amir] Peretz endorsed so-called "launch on demand" capabilities as a potential answer to future ASAT threats.

Referring to ongoing Israeli concept evaluation studies into the use of aircraft to launch very small satellites into low-Earth orbit, Peretz said, "This type of capability, which allows for rapid launching according to urgent operational needs, could enable us to deal with future, extreme scenarios in which our space assets could become paralyzed by enemy action." ( More ... )

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Opall-Rome, Barbara. "Israel Wary of China ASAT Test." Defense News. February 6, 2007.

 

Israel's programs reflect an interest in exploiting space systems in support of terrestrial military operations, including operational and tactical missions. Israel operates the dedicated military Ofeq-5 system, which provides both panchromatic and color imagery at resolutions of less than one meter for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes. It frequently passes over Arab territory in the region. Its capabilities are augmented by the dual-use Eros-A imagery system with a resolution of roughly 1.8 meters. The Israeli Ministry of Defense is managing five additional satellite programs intended to provide more advanced optical and radar imaging and secure communications for the military. In 2005 Israel successfully tested the latest Shavit Space Launch Vehicle, intended to give Israel independent launch capabilities.

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Graham, Thomas and William Marshall. Space Security 2007. Waterlo, Ontario: Project Ploughshares, August 2007. [ 20 quotes ] [ page 99 ]

 

The potential for commercial satellites to be third-party targets during conflict was seen in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, when Israel tried, but failed, to jam the Al-Manar satellite channel transmitted by the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (ARABSAT). Israel refrained from directly jamming the satellite, which serves 200 million viewers through different services, but rather expressed an interest in developing an ability to selectively jam specific transmissions. Although Israeli officials acknowledged that jamming communications satellites is against international law, the strategy remains appealing during wartime. The US was the first state to claim a potential willingness to interfere with third-party commercial satellites in US Air Force Doctrine Document 2-2.1.

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Graham, Thomas and William Marshall. Space Security 2007. Waterlo, Ontario: Project Ploughshares, August 2007. [ 20 quotes ] [ page 132 ]

 

In February 2006, the Israeli government ended years of heated debate by announcing that the Israeli Air Force, rather than the Military Intelligence Unit, will be given sole responsibility for all military activities in space as well as responsibility for designing and operating the nation's future satellites. The Air Force will now be known as the Israel Air and Space Force (IASF) and its mission will be to operate in the air and space arena for purposes of defense and deterrence. Israeli officials publicly contemplated jamming commercial, third-party satellite signals during the war with Lebanon, although they acknowledged that it was against international law (see Space Systems Negation Trend 7.1). The US was the first state to claim a potential willingness to interfere with third-party satellites in US Air Force Doctrine Document 2-2.1.

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Graham, Thomas and William Marshall. Space Security 2007. Waterlo, Ontario: Project Ploughshares, August 2007. [ 20 quotes ] [ page 56 ]