At this year's Zhuhai Air Show, we publicly displayed many products, which caused a lot of speculation from the outside world, among which the Indian media appeared to be a bit of a frightened bird. On November 15, the Indian media "EurAsia Times" talked about the Chinese-made SLC-18 radar, not only called this radar: space radar, which is a radar specially developed for monitoring targets in space, called space radar, not excessive, usually called: space surveillance active phased array radar.
Satellite killer? The name is interesting
This is the first time that China's space radar has been publicly demonstrated in Zhuhai, this statement, it is doubtful, is this really the first time? Indian media tend to make some mistakes when reporting. It may be the first time it has attracted the attention of the Indian media.
The EurAsia Times suspected that China was going to sell the radar to Pakistan, shouting: Who is the first public target of China's space radar? There is no evidence, just by virtue of this product being put on the stand, it is suspected that it can be exported to Pakistan. Perhaps in people's eyes, the Indian media is a little fussy, but the Indian media is quite serious, pointing out that China can arm Pakistan with a "satellite killer" radar, only the introduction at the air show, one sentence: "This radar will enable friendly countries to locate targets in space." Unexpectedly, it was thought that this was a hint that China wanted to provide Pakistan with this radar system, and then said: the Indian military is increasingly worried, and the Indian media automatically targeted India, declaring: India is an important space power, with a wide variety of satellites in orbit, able to monitor Islamabad's every move. If it has the SLC-18 radar, Pakistan can detect the location of Indian satellites, which will undoubtedly weaken the Indian military's space superiority. Indian media pointed out: China and Pakistan have close relations, calling each other "iron brothers" and "all-weather allies", that is, there is a possibility of trading.
The relevant presentation, in particular, is for space missions
If you understand, you can know that SLC-18 radar is a P-band solid-state active phased array radar, using an advanced all-solid-state active phased array system, with all-weather, all-weather, multi-target, high-power, large search range and other advantages, can achieve detection of low-orbit targets in a large area of airspace, can cover a large number of low-orbit satellite targets. While searching and discovering new launch targets, the full-arc segment tracking and measurement of key targets, and can guide precision measurement equipment to complete precise target orbit determination, with orbital target tracking identification, low-orbit target rapid orbit determination, independent establishment of space target orbit database, data can be sent to the accusation center in real time, real-time guidance of other equipment or provision of satellite targets, etc.
Pakistan Space Command really needs this equipment
In the eyes of the Indian media "Eurasia Times", such a function is too powerful, so that developing countries no longer need to buy satellite data from developed countries, as long as they have such a radar will solve the problem! The last sentence of the performance description is the reason for the attention of the Indian media, which is equivalent to saying that for the target search and tracking radar in anti-satellite operations, it can transmit target information to the anti-satellite weapon system, thereby guiding the destruction work. But just to say, the actual anti-satellite operation involves many factors, and the Indian media thinks too simply.
Monitoring satellites does not mean having anti-satellite combat power
Now the Indian media is suspicious, thinking that such a radar or the first to equip Pakistan, a matter without evidence can only be counted as the Indian brain to make up, the speculative result is: staring at Indian satellites, SLC-18 radar for low earth orbit / LEO satellites, that is, located at an altitude of 200 kilometers to 2,000 kilometers above the earth's surface, such satellites are mainly used for data collection and military surveillance, such satellites pose a considerable threat, and naturally are also important targets for seeking surveillance.
The Pakistan Air Force's Space Command has previously demonstrated satellite surveillance capabilities
From the actual combat situation, the West used low-Earth orbit/LEO satellites in the Russian-Ukrainian war to monitor the military operations of the Russian army, providing considerable help to the Ukrainian army and also triggering the thinking of anti-satellite operations. Don't just look at the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, you must also pay attention to the situation you face, the Indian media "Eurasia Times" pointed out that China shows a "satellite killer", a little exaggerated, just a satellite surveillance radar, not a killer, but the Indian satellite is targeted to death is not an accident, because this radar fully has the ability to monitor satellites, and calculate its orbit, which is indeed an important part of anti-satellite operations, but anti-satellite operations are too far away.
If you can reconnoitre, you can effectively evade
Now the Indian media only expressed their worries, with the good relations between China and Pakistan, then it is entirely possible to sell this product to Pakistan, so that Indian satellites face the fate of being monitored, it is easy to lose advantages, and even face a very dangerous situation. There is even such a saying: once the war starts, satellites will definitely not be guaranteed, this situation is a bit exaggerated, after all, modern warfare has not yet involved the issue of anti-satellite operations, since it is a satellite, more just to understand the situation, does not mean that what measures can be taken.
Pakistan now has little anti-satellite warfare power
Pakistan also does not have any anti-missile combat capabilities, at this time the Indian media declared: China's "satellite killer" is expected to join the Pakistani army, is it a little ridiculous? There is no evidence, it is all up to conjecture. Maybe India is just guilty of persecution paranoia, encountering some advanced equipment, especially made in China, is worried that it will appear in Pakistan and become a weapon to restrain itself? It can't be said that there is no reason at all, but this mentality is a bit problematic and should be cured.
China's technology is constantly improving, often launching some new products is not an accident, just a normal phenomenon, the outside media to make too much speculation seems too ridiculous, what is the reason?