China is currently considered the primary competitor to the United States in the realm of space, rapidly advancing its space military capabilities, a top Space Force official has stated.

“Their enhancements in capabilities are frequent, not quite daily but certainly on a monthly basis, which jeopardizes our space assets,” said Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, the leader of U.S. Space Forces-Space, during a press event at the yearly Air & Space Forces Association meeting in National Harbor, Maryland.

“Unquestionably, China is our largest threat,” he affirmed.

Lt. Gen. Schiess detailed that China is developing an attack methodology known as a “kill chain” that targets U.S. naval, ground, and air forces across increasingly vast distances, distances that are extended even further by the use of space capabilities.

“Moreover, they are deploying counter-space capabilities that threaten our space assets,” Schiess added.

Intelligence from the Space Force indicates that the Chinese military may view counter-space operations as strategic measures to prevent and respond to U.S. military interventions in regional disputes.

Bradley Bowman, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Center on Military and Political Power, regards China’s space activities as some of the most alarming aspects of their military endeavors.

“Space is essentially the ultimate strategic high ground. It bolsters our capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and targeting. Simply put, it provides our best observational and targeting tools. If our adversaries can surpass us in space-based ISR and targeting, and if they can strip us of these capabilities, the implications are extremely severe,” he explained to Military Times.

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Should China succeed in neutralizing or surpassing American capabilities in space, Bowman noted, it would mean reduced early warnings of threats and more challenging military engagements.

“This could potentially lead to losing battles or even wars,” Bowman remarked.

Lt. Gen. Schiess emphasized the necessity for the U.S. military to continue deploying additional satellites, including those for ISR, to safeguard its forces.

According to the latest space threat assessment by Space Force intelligence, as of July 2025, China had deployed over 1,189 satellites, marking an increase of approximately 927% since the end of 2015. Over 500 of these satellites are equipped with ISR capabilities, using optical, multispectral, radar, and radio frequency sensors, enhancing China’s ability to monitor U.S. aircraft carriers, expeditionary forces, and air wings.