Defense Intelligence Agency says China is expanding satellite weapons to counter U.S. military power

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency assesses that China is expanding its ability to disrupt or destroy satellites to deter foreign intervention in regional conflicts. It identifies ground-based lasers, satellite communications jammers, anti-satellite missiles and orbital systems with potential military uses, including robotic spacecraft capable of grappling satellites. The agency also counted more than 510 Chinese intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellites as of July 2026, over three times the 2018 total. That network supports tracking and potential targeting of U.S. and allied forces, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, using optical imaging, radar and signals intelligence.