Australia has announced the creation of a new defense agency focused on space, aimed at countering the “ambitions” of Russia and China.
Defense Minister Peter Dutton said the Defense Space Command would guarantee Australia’s position in space.
Air Major General Cath Roberts, who will head the Space Command, said he was “very frightened by the prospect of Australia not being able to counter the activities of Beijing and Moscow”.
It is estimated that the USA, Russia and China are testing weapons capable of destroying a satellite in space.
“The Chinese satellite could theoretically destroy Australia’s National Broadcasting Network,” Roberts said. He said they work very closely with the United States but must be able to counter the threats on their own:
“We can count on the United States up to a point, but we must increase our capacity and fight threats ourselves.”
Roberts’ duties include helping Australians “raise national awareness of threats in outer space”.
Defense Secretary Dutton also said the agency will be small in scale at first, but that the country should have a “Space Force” in the future. The USA launched the “Space Force” initiative in 2019.
Dutton also criticized countries that see “space as a region to be appropriated rather than shared”. The importance of space will increase this century; He said that efforts should be made so that nations do not become a new area of conflict.
The agency’s members will consist of Australia’s land, air and naval forces; mercenaries can also be recruited.
Australia announced these plans next year; He said Space Command would be subordinate to the air force.
In 2019, the United Kingdom and the United States opened the Space Command Military Center.