The Future of Warfare

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America's not ready for space war

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images

Axios' Thomas Novelly writes in the inaugural SPACE edition of our Future of Defense newsletter, out this morning: The future of war is in outer space — and the U.S. is unprepared for the fallout. Why it matters: An outbreak of space warfare would cripple the global economy by disrupting satellites used for everything from worldwide financial transactions to maritime navigation. It would also hinder the U.S. military's ability to conduct some of its key missions on Earth. The dependence on satellites is precisely what makes them tempting targets for foes. China has made major advancements, including satellites with robotic arms that could disable U.S. equipment and lasers that can blind military space sensors. Russia lags behind, but U.S. officials fear Moscow may unleash an orbital nuclear weapon that "could pose a threat to all satellites and to the space-enabled services the world depends on." 💥 Threat level: Last month, U.S. officials revealed that the military had weapons in space — a bombshell admission they said was aimed at deterring adversaries. Aerospace analysts warn the nation isn't prepared if China or Russia destroys U.S. satellites. They say the defense industry lacks the critical supplies and personnel to fight back.