Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force and a 2020 Wash100 Award winner, said Russia on Wednesday carried out a direct ascent anti-satellite missile test, C4ISRNET reported Wednesday.
“Russia’s DA-ASAT test provides yet another example that the threats to U.S. and allied space systems are real, serious and growing,” he said in a statement. “The United States is ready and committed to deterring aggression and defending the Nation, our allies, and U.S. interests from hostile acts in space.”
Raymond, who is also head of U.S. Space Command, said the test undermines Russia’s call for a treaty aimed at preventing weapons deployment in space. “This test is further proof of Russia’s hypocritical advocacy of outer space arms control proposals designed to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting their counterspace weapons programs,” he added.
