Gen. Michael Guetlein warned that China could soon pose a legitimate challenge to the U.S. space hegemony. Given the country’s recent advancements in technology, he stated that China should be taken seriously as a threat to the nation’s contemporary dominance in space.

Guetlein, the vice chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, issued the ominous notice at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, on Dec. 7. He explained that the future of space politics was likely to be hostile and the days of U.S. unipolarity were likely to end in the future. Other countries, most notably China, were making rapid advancements in space technology that would result in “new threats to U.S. space assets,” Space News reported.

“The adversary is quickly shrinking that gap, and we have got to change the way we approach space pretty rapidly,” Guetlein said. “Today that capability gap is in our favor, but if it goes negative on us, it’s going to be a really bad day.”

Guetlein did not officially specify China, however, the country’s desires to increase its presence and prominence in space have been known for years. He also detailed the evolution of space politics over the years, describing a new era of hostile behavior from countries seeking their domain and authority in space. 

“This new norm of behavior is very unsafe and unprofessional,” he said.

Guetlin elaborated on the current nefarious strategies to cause disturbances within U.S. space communication and technologies. Specifically, he cited accounts of cyberattacks, jamming GPS communications, and utilizing unmanned aircraft for surveillance purposes, Space News reported. Many of these tactics have been used by China to “disrupt U.S. satellites critical to navigation, communication, and missile defense.” 

To maintain its hegemony in space, Guetlin suggested a massive strategic shift in the nation’s space operations. Of particular importance is the disparity in government funding compared to the country’s other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Guetlin recommended a tactical emphasis on commercial and international cooperation to advance U.S. hegemony in space.

“In the past, we didn’t believe we could count on our commercial partners and international partners during times of crisis,” Guetlein said. “That has completely changed.”  

An integral part of the strategy for the future is a proposal by the Space Force called the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve program. Guetlin highlighted CASR’s viability for navigating the future hostilities of celestial politics, implying it was essential to the country’s success and a “cost-effective way to ensure access to critical space capabilities during crises.” Through CASR, in case of emergency, private companies would contractually prioritize providing satellite services to the military at the expense of commercial customers, Space News reported.

“We’re trying, with very limited resources, to get after an enormous demand signal coming out of our joint force,” he said. 

The program has yet to be implemented. However, at least one congressional representative expressed his support for CASR and agreed with Guetlin on its importance in maintaining U.S. hegemony in space. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) expressed his support for the proposed CASR, and partnerships with commercial entities were of the utmost importance in the event of a space crisis, Space News reported.

“It shouldn’t just be about satellite services,” Wittman said. “We have to make sure it includes launch vehicles. We have to make sure that our reserve is there to where, if called upon tomorrow, we could respond at the speed of relevance.”  

Wittman said a new way of thinking, including such a program as CASR, was necessary because of the advancements China has made in its space technology, the potential it imposes in the future, and the country’s demonstrated willingness to challenge the U.S. in space. Guetlin, meanwhile, also called for more funding and resources, in addition to the CASR proposal, to deal with emerging threats. He considered it essential to maintain an advantage over dangerous rivals, according to Space News.

“We must act now to ensure that the capability gap doesn’t shrink to zero — or worse, go negative,” Guetlein said.