作者：卡特琳·哈灵顿

    美国空军参谋长麦可·莫塞利在4月24日称，中国在1月的一次反卫星测试是一个“战略脱节”事件如同1957年苏联发射人造卫星一样的有影响。

    莫塞利将军称它已经敦促美国空军评估它在外太空防御选项和更多的在外太空战略利害关系是更高的超过任何时候。

    将军说，美国和它的盟国的商业和军事卫星易脆弱性在1月中国使用一种反卫星武器摧毁一颗报废的气象卫星后显现。

    莫塞利将军突出潜在威胁的程度，称对另外的一个国家卫星的攻击会提供合法的开战理由（casus belli）。 他说“我要说摧毁另外的一个国家卫星是一种战争行为；这无异于沉没一艘船或摧毁一架飞机，”。

    莫塞利将军对中国最近的反卫星武器试验特别关心是-在之前是三次初期的失败尝试-从一套陆军移动系统上直接升高爆炸。这样的系统的一个关注因为他们用于其他国家的目标是困难的。

    附原文供对照参考：

Chinese ASAT test prompts US rethink
By Caitlin Harrington

China's test of an anti-satellite weapon in January was a "strategically dislocating" event as significant as the Russian launch of Sputnik in 1957, US Air Force (USAF) Chief of Staff General Michael Moseley said on 24 April.

Gen Moseley said it had spurred the USAF to evaluate its defensive options in outer space and added that the strategic stakes are higher than ever in outer space.

The vulnerability of commercial and military satellites of the US and its allies is now on display after China destroyed an old Chinese weather satellite in January using an anti-satellite weapon, said the general.

Gen Moseley highlighted the potential magnitude of the threat, saying that an attack on another nation's satellite would provide a legitimate casus belli. "I would say killing another nation's satellite is an act of war; it's no different than sinking a ship or killing an airplane," he said.

Of particular concern to Gen Moseley was that China's recent anti-satellite weapon test - which was preceded by three earlier failed attempts - was a direct ascent shot fired from a land-based mobile system. Such systems are a concern because they are difficult for other nations to target.

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© 2007 Jane's Information Group
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