China will build a radar in Antarctic

[lurker]

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtri...986111113.html

China radar at South Pole could sabotage U.S. spy satellites
Thursday, February 2, 2006

Beijing announced plans last week to build a high-frequency radar on the South Pole. Analysts say the radar could be used to disrupt U.S. intelligence satellites.

The radar will be built at China’s Zhongshan Station, where Beijing has set up of a space environment lab.

National security analysts say the South Pole site, because of its remoteness, could be used by China to develop anti-satellite lasers capable of blinding or disrupting U.S. reconnaissance satellites, most of which pass over the pole.

The station will consist of 20 antenna units, including 16 units for the main antenna and four for the auxiliary antenna. Each antenna is 20 meters high. The high-frequency radar can detect ionospheric convection within a range of 3,000 kilometers.

Chinese officials told Xinhua the station would be used to measure the polar space environment.

China’s space program, unlike the U.S. space program, is directly related to Chinese military operations.

A Pentagon report on the Chinese military last year said China was “working on, and plans to field, ASAT systems.”

[Horrido]

That's a rather curious statement, as my impression was that Antarctica is neutral international territory with military systems prohibited.

[Ray]

Antarctica is considered a neutral territory in respect to politics. The Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959, and related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System, regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only uninhabited continent. For the purposes of the treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all land and ice shelves south of the southern 60th parallel. The treaty was signed by 12 countries, including the Soviet Union and the United States, and set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, established freedom of scientific investigation, environmental protection, and banned military activity on that continent. This was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War. The Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature in Antarctica, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon. It permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctica

I presume that Chinese will declare that the radars are for scientific purposes! ;)

[-{SpoonmaN}-]

Yeah I was under the impression that Antarctica and anywhere above Earth's atmosphere were off limits to weapons. Maybe It's just bluster, or paranoia.

[wkllaw]

Isn't the threat of China using Anartica for military purposes just a small possibility and Anartica is off limits to weapons, but not above the atmosphere.

[xrough]

This is another move for China's show-off to the world..and a move for more speculations on its military build-up...

[TheChosenOne]

Ok, scientific purposes, great! But if this is built and US satelites are affected, game on. Bomb the the Chinese radar sites then? Hopefully this is just progranda and isn't true.

[joey2]

Ray didnt we send a team to setup a base in antartica as well? any updates on it?

[HistoricalDavid]

Those radar sites would present a juicy IR signature, haha.

[highsea]

Personally I think the OP is a bunch of hype. The Chinese station (IIRC) is a joint scientific experiement with Finland- the radar is actually Finnish. They are doing atmospheric research.

If I was going to build a radar to attack satellites, I wouldn't put it in Antarctica, which has some of the crappiest weather conditions in the world, not to mention a whole pile of International Treaties banning such activity.

[Ruskiy]

If they are to build a radar in there it suppost to be the radar for atmospheric capturing only, othrwise they will be issued a fee and some sanctions from UN abd then from pissed off NATO. Isn't that's right?