A Space Quad: Russia, China, North Korea And Iran
Date
6/27/2024 3:23:46 PM
(MENAFN- Asia Times)
The US has flagged as a growing threat to global security an increasingly deepening four-way autocratic quadrilateral quasi-alliance that's deepening space collaboration among Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.
This month, Air & Space Forces Magazine reports that General Stephen Whiting, commander of the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM), expressed concern over those four countries' increasing cooperation in space.
Whiting highlighted in particular the workings of bilateral ties between Russia and each of the other three nations as Russia seeks assistance for its war in Ukraine, the magazine says.
In this photo released on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, the Soyuz-2.1b rocket blasts off at the Vostochny Cosmodrome outside the city of Tsiolkovsky, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the city of Blagoveshchensk in the far eastern Amur region, Russia. The Russian Soyuz rocket put an Iranian satellite into orbit along with 18 Russian satellites. Photo: Roscosmos Space Corporation
Air & Space Forces notes multiple examples of space cooperation among the four, citing
a Russian rocket launching an Iranian satellite;
plans for a Russo-Chinese lunar nuclear power plant; and
a defense pact between Russia and North Korea, which could benefit North Korea's space and missile capabilities.
The magazine mentions that US officials have also noted Russia's use in Ukraine of Iranian and North Korean weapons, with support from China to increase arms production. It notes that this growing partnership adds complexity to the already contested space domain, where the US has observed Russia deploying a counter-space weapon co-planar to a US national security satellite, indicating operational intent.
Air & Space Forces mentions that the US has compared Russian activities to“nesting doll” satellites capable of deploying kinetic weapons. Meanwhile, it says, US Space Force (USSF) leaders have described China's rapid expansion in space capabilities – including counter-space technologies and support for terrestrial forces – as“breathtakingly fast.”
Space cooperation adds another element to a sophisticated four-way pragmatic relationship connecting Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, a relationshiop that now covers weapons sales, energy, and finance.
While Russia and Iran have vastly different systems of governance, the ongoing Ukraine War has put Russia in the same sanctions boat as Iran, giving rise to a partnership of convenience between the two autocracies.
MENAFN27062024000159011032ID1108382556
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.