Western experts and intelligence are discussing the possibility of Iran using advanced Russian electronic warfare (EW) technologies against the Starlink satellite network. This refers to the "Kalinka" system, which Russia developed as a countermeasure against space internet systems after the invasion of Ukraine began. This is reported by The National Interest, writes UNN.
Details
As the current US military dominance and the effectiveness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine largely depend on stable satellite communications, Russia and China have intensified efforts to create means of neutralizing it.
Evolution of satellite systems and the role of SpaceX
For decades, US military satellites were cumbersome and vulnerable due to their complexity and high replacement cost. The solution was "disaggregation" – a transition to constellations of thousands of small, cheaper, and interchangeable devices.
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Elon Musk's company SpaceX implemented this concept in the Starlink system, ensuring unprecedented network survivability: even the loss of some satellites does not stop the entire system from working.
War in Ukraine as a testing ground for anti-satellite weapons
After Starlink gave Ukraine an advantage in troop control and intelligence, the network became a priority target for US adversaries. In response, SpaceX began developing Starshield – a specialized military version of the system with enhanced protection.
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At the same time, Russia and China are developing aggressive countermeasures:
- China: creates powerful lasers to blind Starlink sensors and small "stalker" satellites to physically damage devices in orbit.
- Russia: is working on "area effect" weapons capable of creating clouds of shrapnel in orbit to simultaneously destroy hundreds of satellites, and also uses ground-based jamming systems like "Kalinka."
The probable use of such systems in Iran indicates the globalization of technological confrontation in space. Russian developments in the field of electronic warfare are becoming a tool for regimes seeking to limit access to independent communications and intelligence in areas of geopolitical crises.