Elon Musk activates SpaceX Starlink service over Ukraine
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The SpaceX founder has already been praised for shipping thousands of his Starlink internet terminals to Ukraine. But Russia is said to have quickly responded, jamming the satellites from being able to beam down broadband services. This is known as a form of electronic warfare – blocking the signal in order to essentially block the enemy’s eyes and ears in space.
But Dave Tremper, director of electronic warfare for the US Office of the Secretary of Defense said SpaceX swiftly dealt with the issue.
He said: “The next day [after reports about the Russian jamming effort hit the media], Starlink had slung a line of code and fixed it.
“And suddenly that [Russian jamming attack] was not effective anymore. From [the] EW technologist’s perspective, that is fantastic … and how they did that was eye-watering to me.”
Mr Tremper said that the US needs to get much better at its own rapid response to such threats.
He added: “We need to be able to have that agility.
“We need to be able to change our electromagnetic posture to be able to change, very dynamically, what we’re trying to do without losing capability along the way.”
General Tad Clark, director of the Air Force’s electromagnetic spectrum superiority directorate, said this form of warfare will only increase.
He believes the US needs to be more innovative when it comes to building new space technology.
This includes incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning into next-generation systems to help with such rapid responses.
He added that the Ukraine war has shown the importance of properly training the personnel assigned to carry out electromagnetic warfare operations.
He said: “It’s a very hard problem, if you don’t have well-trained operators.
DON’T MISS
Nuclear survival advice issued as Putin threatens Ukraine [REVEAL]
UK scientists analyse secrets of Putin’s prized fighter jet [REPORT]
Experts warn to stockpike SEAWEED to slash impact of Russian nuke [INSIGHT]
“The degree of coordination and synchronisation of these types of operations is such that the undertrained operator will have a harder time pulling off those types of events successfully.”
This latest move from SpaceX comes after Mr Musk challenged Russian leader Vladimir Putin to a fight.
He wrote on Twitter: “I hereby challenge Владимир Путин [Vladimir Putin] to single combat. Stakes are Україна [Ukraine].”
Source: Read Full Article
