Military experts believe that space reconnaissance is not a “panacea”, but the latest attack by Hamas has proven the need to create a powerful satellite constellation in low orbit.
A sudden terrorist attack by Hamas militants in Israel escaped notice from US spy officers in part because of physical laws. But it has become clear that the United States and its allies have not yet developed the full range of space-based ISR capabilities to detect threats around the world. Defense One observers reported this on October 12.
Analysts at Metrea Strategic Insights noted that satellites in geosynchronous orbit are too far away to capture much detail, and there are not enough satellites in low Earth orbit to consistently transmit high-resolution images.
Company employee Todd Harrison believes that while satellite intelligence is not a “panacea,” the recent Hamas attack proves the need for constant intelligence from orbit.
“A surprise attack by Hamas should push countries to increase the power and coverage of space-based ISR systems. The United States and its allies could, for example, create powerful LEO (low Earth orbit – editor’s note) constellations that provide continuous global coverage. Harrison told Defense One about optics.” He said that there are features such as infrared, radar and radio frequency detection.
Why was the attack a surprise?
Authorities are still investigating why the attack, which killed nearly 3,000 Israelis and Palestinians, was unexpected. Many officials last week described the incident as a stunning failure by Israeli intelligence agencies.
Trying to explain this, Brian Clark, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute, said Hamas uses “old methods” for sharing information, such as face-to-face negotiations.
“Relying on ISR techniques that use technology to remotely monitor an enemy can run into problems if the target evades signals or movements that can be easily detected and analyzed by space-based or electronic sensors,” Clark said.
Important
He added that Americans could follow China’s example and use more algorithms based on artificial intelligence. According to him, the PRC has long used such methods domestically, but US intelligence agencies can use them using open sources and secret intelligence information at the disposal of the enemy.
According to journalists of The Wall Street Journal, it was previously reported that before the attack on October 7, Hamas militants had in their possession detailed maps of the locations of cities and military bases of the Israeli Defense Forces. It was also reported that extensive preparation, planning and intelligence gathering was carried out before the attack.
Source: Focus
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