The second in command of US Space Force warned publicly this week that the United States was in danger of losing the race for space to China by 2030 if the country doesn’t redouble its effort.
“On a panel of US space experts and leaders speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in a panel moderated by CNN’s Kristin Fisher, Gen. Thompson warned China could overtake the US in space capabilities by the end of the decade,” said CNN.
“The fact, that in essence, on average, they are building and fielding and updating their space capabilities at twice the rate we are means that very soon, if we don’t start accelerating our development and delivery capabilities, they will exceed us,” Gen. Thompson said according to the cable news network, adding, “2030 is not an unreasonable estimate.”
On Sunday Thompson appeared on Fox News warning that “the U.S. must adapt its approach to space development in order to counteract the ‘tremendous threat’ posed by China,” said Axios.
“Thompson, the vice chief of operations, also said that China may soon have the potential to take out U.S. sensors and reach first-strike capability in space, adding ‘that’s one of the reasons that the Space Force was created’”, reported Axios.
The mission of the space command, which was started under Trump, has been slowed under the Biden administration which seems determined to appease China and not compete against her.
“I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion they will be the leader in space at the end of the decade, but they are on an incredible pace,” Thompson told host Chris Wallace according to Axios.
“We’re the best in the world in space,” he added. “But they’re moving aggressively and quickly and we need to adapt our approach.”