Sweden warns of conflict in space with China and Russia over attacks on navigation satellites
China has included space as one of the areas where the country wants to be a leader by 2049. “For China and Russia, space is important from both a military and civilian perspective. The countries are also very interested in acquiring knowledge about Swedish research that contributes to the development of space. More people with activities that can be connected to space need to create an increased awareness of this, says the Chief of the Security Police.
Charlotte von Essen explains that a conflict in space may well begin with disrupting socially important functions by attacking a space system, such as a navigation satellite system. And for those who want to communicate with their satellites and download data, Sweden has a strategic location.
“The Space Law Inquiry’s proposal is well based on seeing Sweden’s security from a broader perspective. On the other hand, the Security Police see that there is a need to go further when it comes to the question of receiving signals from space. The reason is that dual-use satellites can be used for intelligence gathering. It is good that the inquiry finds that this issue needs to be investigated further “, says Charlotte von Essen. The increased interest in space and the investments made from several states are important for Sweden’s security and need to be seen from a total defense perspective. At the end of November 2021, the Space Act Inquiry proposed that the Security Police be given a partially new assignment. This includes consultation on decisions on permits in matters concerning Sweden’s security.
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