As of March 2022, China’s ISR satellite fleet contained more than 290 systems—a quantity second only to the United States, and nearly doubling China's in-orbit systems since 2018. The PLA owns and operates about half of the world’s ISR systems, most of which could support monitoring, tracking, and targeting of U.S. and allied forces worldwide, especially throughout the Indo-Pacific region. These satellites also allow the PLA to monitor potential regional flashpoints, including the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, Indian Ocean, and the SCS. In early 2023, the United States announced sanctions against Chinese companies Spacety and China HEAD Aerospace for providing imagery of Ukraine to Russian private military company Wagner during the conflict.
Recent improvements to the PRC’s space-based ISR capabilities emphasize the development, procurement, and use of increasingly capable satellites with digital camera technology as well as space-based radar for all-weather, 24-hour coverage. These improvements increase China’s monitoring capabilities—including observation of U.S. aircraft carriers, expeditionary strike groups, and deployed air wings. Space capabilities will enhance potential PLA military operations farther from the Chinese coast. These capabilities are being augmented with electronic reconnaissance satellites that monitor radar and radio transmissions.
Satellite Communications. The PRC owns and operates more than 60 communications satellites, at least four of which are dedicated to military use. The PRC produces its military-dedicated satellites domestically. Its civilian communications satellites incorporate off-the-shelf commercially manufactured components. The PRC is fielding advanced communications satellites capable of transmitting large amounts of data. Existing and future data relay satellites and other beyond-line-of-sight communications systems could convey critical targeting data to Chinese military operation centers.
In addition, China is making progress on its ambitious plans to propel itself to the forefront of the global SATCOM industry. China is continuing to test next-generation capabilities like its Quantum Experimentation at Space Scale (QUESS) space-based quantum-enabled communications satellite, which could supply the means to field highly secure communications systems. In 2016, the PRC launched the world's first quantum communications satellite (Micius) into low Earth orbit, and in July 2022, the PRC launched an additional experimental quantum satellite Testing satellite-based quantum entanglement represents a major milestone in building a practical, global, ultrasecure quantum network, but the widespread deployment and adoption of this technology still faces hurdles.
The PRC also intends to provide SATCOM support to users worldwide and plans to develop at least seven new SATCOM constellations in low earth orbit (LEO), most notably one from state-owned enterprise China SatNet. These constellations are still in the early stages of development and may begin to launch in the next year.
Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Capabilities. The PRC’s satellite navigation system, known as BeiDou, is an independently constructed, developed, and exclusively China-operated PNT service. It reached initial operating capability in 2018 and was finalized with its last launch in 2020. The PRC’s priorities for BeiDou are to support national security and economic and
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China
