China figured out how to defeat the US fleet using only 2-3 satellites: AI helped

The Electronic Information Management Science and Technology Laboratory, which develops electronic warfare (EW) equipment for the Chinese military, has developed a strategy to attack US warships using satellites and missiles. Details were reported by Chinese newspaper SCMP.

How does China plan to attack US aircraft carriers using satellites?

According to the computer simulation created by Chinese scientists, hypersonic anti-ship missiles should be launched from a distance of 1,200 km, given that the US aircraft carrier strike group has a combat range of 1,000 km. The missiles, which rise to an altitude of 200 kilometers, are sent to US warships detected by their radars just 10 minutes after launch. By then the missiles will be only 50 km away from the US fleet.

According to the researchers, their simulations also took into account the operation of a space-based electromagnetic weapon system that jams the radars of American escort ships from top to bottom. “Space has become the new command center of military forces,” they emphasized.

In addition to the space-based electromagnetic weapon system, they also resorted to the support of several low-orbit electronic warfare satellites positioned above the American aircraft carrier. The satellites detected radar signals from US warships and then responded with equally strong signals; Therefore, even if the radar waves were reflected from the missiles, the radars would not be able to distinguish the echoes from the strong background noise.

A team of scientists has concluded that a constellation of low-orbit satellites offers “unique advantages” in a mission as complex as the one they simulated using artificial intelligence.

“Space-based platforms, unlike, for example, electronic warfare aircraft, operate across national borders, so they can be quickly mobilized around the world and cover a wide frontier. Moreover, since these satellites are only a few hundred kilometers from the Earth’s surface, the material is highly susceptible to interfering signals.” He says it is powerful and does not require sensitive receptors.

Electronic warfare conducted in space using low-orbit satellite constellations has become “an important part of information warfare,” scientists say. Researchers believe that 2 or 3 satellites will be enough to attack a group of aircraft carriers, while a constellation of 28 satellites will provide a global attack.

How did Chinese scientists manage to “fool” the Lockheed Martin SPY-1D radar?

The computer simulation of the attack relied primarily on countering the SPY-1D radar used by the Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to detect long-range anti-ship missiles. Lockheed Martin introduced the SPY-1 series in the 1970s, so the Chinese military is well aware of the capabilities of this series. Moreover, according to the American media, this radar will remain in service until 2060.

The simulation portrayed a scenario in which two satellites jammed the same radar from different angles, creating “false aerial alarms in front, next to and behind the enemy.” So, when Chinese anti-ship missiles come within 50 km of a target, the satellites stop jamming, activate the onboard jammers, and maneuver until the missiles destroy the target.

Important

It is not easy to attack the aircraft carrier strike group from a long distance because the satellites, missiles and ships move at high speed. However, the team says that AI modeling, which determines the time period and spatial range of such an attack, shows that such an attack is possible. They noted that the USA and Russia are also developing scenarios for using space weapons.

The hypersonic missile used in the simulation was not disclosed, but the document emphasizes that it differs from a conventional ballistic missile in its ability to maneuver in its final stage, meaning it can approach its target along an unpredictable trajectory. The stated range of this missile is the same as the YJ-21. The hypersonic anti-ship missile is believed to be capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 10, giving enemy air defense systems less than 20 seconds to react.

We previously wrote that the PRC created a device that disguises the missile as a passenger plane. Electronic warfare has become more sophisticated than ever: any radar can now be fooled by misrepresenting a missile as a Boeing 737.