According to Pentagon spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Monica Matoush, the US Africa Command has decided to lease space on the Apstar-7 satellite, which is majority operated by Chinas state-owned Aerospace Science & Technology Corp via Hong Kong-based APT Satellite Holdings.
The military contract has been active since 2012, when Department of Defense contractor Harris CapRock Communications arranged the $10.6 million one-year lease. That agreement is set to expire on May 14, though the agency has the option to increase it by an additional three years, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
According to Dean Cheng, a research fellow and veteran China-watcher at the conservative Heritage Foundation who spoke with Wired, the Apstar-7 satellite contract presents security concerns for the US.
Im startled. Is this risky? Well, since the satellite was openly contracted, they [the Chinese] know who is using which transponders. And I suspect theyre making a copy of all of it, according to Cheng.
This is giving it to them in a nice, neat little package. I think there is a potential security concern, added Cheng.
In her emailed statement, Lt. Col. Matoush noted that the security of all signals to and through the Apstar-7 satellite are fully protected with additional transmission security. The latter referring to the encryption of US data.
The Pentagons contract peaked the curiosity of lawmakers in Congress when it was disclosed on April 25 during a House Armed Services Committee. As Bloomberg reports, Representative Mike Rogers (R-Alabama), chairman of the panel overseeing space programs, believes that the arrangement with the Chinese satellite operator sends a bad message: *
[The contract] exposes our military to the risk that China may seek to turn off our eyes and ears at the time of their choosing, said Rogers.
It sends a terrible message to our industrial base at a time when it is under extreme stress, he added.
Pentagon leaning on Chinese satellite for Africa Command communications ? RT USA
Pentagon Paying China — Yes, China — To Carry Data | Danger Room | Wired.com
The military contract has been active since 2012, when Department of Defense contractor Harris CapRock Communications arranged the $10.6 million one-year lease. That agreement is set to expire on May 14, though the agency has the option to increase it by an additional three years, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
According to Dean Cheng, a research fellow and veteran China-watcher at the conservative Heritage Foundation who spoke with Wired, the Apstar-7 satellite contract presents security concerns for the US.
Im startled. Is this risky? Well, since the satellite was openly contracted, they [the Chinese] know who is using which transponders. And I suspect theyre making a copy of all of it, according to Cheng.
This is giving it to them in a nice, neat little package. I think there is a potential security concern, added Cheng.
In her emailed statement, Lt. Col. Matoush noted that the security of all signals to and through the Apstar-7 satellite are fully protected with additional transmission security. The latter referring to the encryption of US data.
The Pentagons contract peaked the curiosity of lawmakers in Congress when it was disclosed on April 25 during a House Armed Services Committee. As Bloomberg reports, Representative Mike Rogers (R-Alabama), chairman of the panel overseeing space programs, believes that the arrangement with the Chinese satellite operator sends a bad message: *
[The contract] exposes our military to the risk that China may seek to turn off our eyes and ears at the time of their choosing, said Rogers.
It sends a terrible message to our industrial base at a time when it is under extreme stress, he added.
Pentagon leaning on Chinese satellite for Africa Command communications ? RT USA
Pentagon Paying China — Yes, China — To Carry Data | Danger Room | Wired.com
