For years, civilian Starlink systems were used for many military operations by Ukraine. CGST is merely following the overall trend of the militarization of everything—especially space.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have proven themselves to be a harder nut to crack for the United States military than many within the Pentagon had hoped. Not only do the Houthis enjoy direct military and financial assistance from the Islamic Republic of Iran, but they have been shown to function as an indirect missile testing agency for the People’s Republic of China.
Since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iranian-backed militants throughout the region, the Houthis have terrorized international shipping with their increasingly sophisticated anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs). These systems, on top of being technically complex, are also becoming far more accurate than one might expect them to.
This is especially worrying when one considers that many of the targets for the Houthis’ ASBMs are warships belonging to the United States Navy. Not even the mighty American nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, which have had several close encounters with the missiles, are immune to them.
How the Houthis Became China’s Missile Testing Agency
The question, though, is: how are the Houthis’ ASBMs getting so dangerously close to advanced American warships, which normally enjoy a retinue of defenses specifically meant to deflect ASBMs and other threats that the Houthis are posing to American warships operating new Yemeni shores?
This is where the Chinese come into this sordid story.
Chang Guang Satellite Technology, a Chinese satellite company, has been “directly aiding Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen by providing satellite imagery used to target U.S. and international vessels in the Red Sea,” according to Tammy Bruce, the spokeswoman for the United States Department of State.
For their part, the Chinese firm denies these allegations. Yet it is worth noting that such accusations are nothing new for this specific Chinese satellite firm. CGST was previously accused of assisting Russia’s Wagner Group in 2023 during the Ukraine War.
And given the bounty of information—and targeting data—that satellites can provide, it should come as no surprise that so-called civilian satellite firms such as CGST are shanghaied into the service of war—especially if the warring parties are aligned with the Chinese government.
Remember, when all the tensions with the Houthis began after the Iran-backed Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the Houthis unleashed ceaseless attacks on international shipping passing through the Red Sea—save for warships that were flagged to China, Russia, and Iran.
Satellites Are the New Face of Warfare
Besides, China benefits greatly from the Houthis’ actions against U.S. warships near their shores. America’s resources are fungible: the better the Houthis are at harassing American warships in the Red Sea, the more likely it is that Washington will focus on fighting the Houthis in Yemen—depleting the resources available to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Second, if the targeting information provided by the Chinese firm to the Houthis is accurate, then the Americans might suffer naval losses that it will be difficult to replace. If the Houthis were to sink an American aircraft carrier—a possible, though probably unlikely, outcome—it would be a devastating loss for the U.S. Navy, and would hamper its operations in the Indo-Pacific for years. This turn of events would be particularly advantageous for China, given that the aircraft carrier will likely be the primary weapon deployed against any Chinese attack on Taiwan.
And although CGST appears to be the only Chinese company backstopping the efforts of a force committed to defeating the United States by providing technical support, this is almost certainly not the case. Companies have long moved together with the militaries of the world. In China’s case, their system is defined by state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Even in supposedly private Chinese firms, the leaders are often upstanding members of the Communist Party of China—and the companies never move in ways contrary to their government’s interests.
The U.S. Space Force Should Punish CGST
Moreover, the corporations of the world have been increasingly moving to assist their governments in warmaking. Just think back to the start of the Ukraine War, when Kyiv pressured SpaceX to give them Starlink terminals.
For years, those civilian Starlink systems were used for many military operations by Ukraine. CGST is merely following the overall trend of the militarization of everything—especially space.
Going forward, if the U.S. government can prove that CGST’s satellites are being used to target American warships and enhance the lethality of America’s enemies, it will be necessary for the United States Space Force to destroy them. A foreign nation’s satellites can never again be allowed to endanger the lives of American sailors and marines.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Axel Monse.
