Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s seapower and projection forces panel, believes the Pentagon needs to be more forthcoming as to what it knows about China’s anti-satellite programs. “We want to put questions on the table,” said Forbes during a June 4 meeting with reporters in Washington, D.C. “What are they doing? What is their intent? . . . We’ve been concerned about this for a number of years,” he said. Forbes sent a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday outlining his concerns. Last month, the Pentagon confirmed that China had carried out a rocket launch nearly to geosynchronous orbit. While China claimed the launch was for peaceful scientific research, US officials claimed it appeared to be a test of anti-satellite technology. Forbes wants to know if the Defense Department thinks the launch represented a new or existing capability.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.