Jeff Crank Asks EUCOM Commander: Are China And Russia’s Space Capabilities Getting Stronger?

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During a House Armed Services Committee hearing held before the congressional recess, Rep. Jeff Crank (R-CO) questioned EUCOM Commander Cavoli about China and Russia's Space-Defense capabilities.

Transcript

00:00The gentleman yields back, Chair, and I recognize as another Coloradan, Mr. Crank.

00:05Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it.

00:07General Cavoli, thank you for being here.

00:10Most Americans probably aren't aware that some of the first shots in the Russian invasion of Ukraine were in space

00:16when Russia knocked out a satellite network providing communication support to Ukraine.

00:22And according to a recent report, Russia is fielding new anti-satellite weapons,

00:28expanding on-orbit counter-space capabilities, and training in military space elements to combat the United States.

00:38According to General Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command,

00:42quote, winning the space fight is foundational to defending the nation, unquote.

00:48Can you provide an update of the role that on-orbit warfare is playing in your theater?

00:57Sure, Congressman.

00:59With the caveat that I think, as you know, it's really hard to talk about space operations and capabilities in open session.

01:07So if you'd like to talk about it a little bit more in a closed session, we could.

01:10I would also refer you to General Whiting and to General Salzman, who are genuine experts in this question.

01:16I'm a customer. I'm a consumer of their efforts.

01:19Yes, our space capabilities are absolutely essential to the way we do operations.

01:25Our adversary space capabilities are absolutely essential to the way they do operations,

01:30and they understand how important space is to us.

01:34So it is very much a contested environment and a contested capability,

01:38and I'd be delighted to talk more about it in a closed session, sir.

01:42In your opinion, are Russia and China's space-based capabilities stronger, weaker,

01:47or the same compared to the start of the war in Ukraine?

01:52They grow constantly.

01:55They are both working very hard to improve their capabilities and to expand their capacity,

02:00and they have been doing that with the war in Ukraine,

02:03and I imagine they would have without the war in Ukraine as well.

02:07Okay, and then finally, in your testimony, you highlighted how UConn partners with Cyber Command

02:13to, quote, deter advanced persistent threats, unquote.

02:17Can you describe where those threats come from and what they're targeting?

02:21Yeah, there are non-governmental threats, sir, right, criminal activity, ransomware,

02:27and things like that, that have national security implications, and so they matter to us.

02:32We help our allies with defending against those.

02:35There are also state-based threats, and each one of our main adversaries,

02:41that group of four that I named in my opening statement,

02:44each one of those is quite active in the cybersphere.

02:47How can Congress help strengthen your hand in those fights?

02:51Sir, by supporting U.S. Cyber Command.

02:55All of their subordinate organizations have relationships with the combatant commands.

03:0116th U.S. Air Force is my cyber component for UConn.

03:05That makes a big difference when you support Cyber Command.

03:08Also, when you support the National Security Agency,

03:10because that work is so closely tied to cyber work.

03:14I'd like to thank both of our witnesses for coming today,

03:18but for your service to our country, and for all that you do to keep us safe.

03:23Thank you, and I yield back, Mr. Chairman.

03:25We'll see you all right.

03:50моментs.

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