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We answer questions about national security issues, events, people and places. #NatSecAnswerDesk

Mar 24, 2020, 9 tweets

QUESTION: @NatSecAnswers has heard that @SpaceForceDoD is getting a new weapon. What exactly is it? We asked @JoAnnePSears, a former Navy Civilian who worked in intelligence and a former Sr. Advisor to @usairforce Secretary Heather Wilson.

ANSWER: "The U.S. Space Force announced they received their first “offensive” weapon. Truth be told, this new system is an upgraded deployable communications jammer first deployed in 2004 and developed to prevent adversaries from using communication satellites during combat.

Why is this important? Instead of blowing up #satellites – creating a massive orbital debris problem in space – the U.S. #military is taking the lead on the responsible use of space and levering technology to turn off-and-on the bad guys’ communication satellites.

The #geostationary satellites used for communications orbit above our planet 22,000 miles or higher and are hard to reach. So, creating a temporary communication “kill switch” is a more practical solution.

The official name of the U.S. satellite jammer is the Counter Communications System or CCS.
According to unclassified reporting, the upgraded system will be able to jam across a wider spectrum of radio frequencies.

The deployable system will be used by 4th Space Control Squadron in Colorado Springs, as well as Air National Guard units in California, Colorado, Florida and Hawaii.
Russia has a similar jamming system called the #Tirada-2S.

And China is reportedly working to develop a similar jammer system which would be a game changer in the Pacific theatre."

More about JoAnne Sears here: velocitygr.com/about-us

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