Russian Soldier posing with Starlink Kit
Officials at the Pentagon working with Elon Musk's SpaceX have halted the unauthorized use by the Russian military of Starlink internet terminals on the battlefield in their war with Ukraine, according to the head of space policy at the Department of Defense.
Efforts Against Illicit Use
The United States has been "heavily involved in working with the Government of Ukraine and SpaceX to counter the illicit use of Starlink terminals by Russia," stated John Plumb, outgoing Undersecretary of Space Policy.
"At this point, we have successfully countered Russian use, but I am sure Russia will continue to try to find ways to exploit Starlink and other commercial communication systems," the official told Bloomberg News. While "it will remain a challenge, I believe we have addressed it and found good solutions both with Starlink and Ukraine."
Measures and Challenges
Plumb declined to provide further details on tactics, techniques, or procedures being used to prevent Russia from using portable communication terminals connecting to SpaceX's low-orbit satellite fleet. Officials from the Ukrainian government did not comment immediately.
Starlink terminals continue to be advertised for sale in Russia on platforms like the e-commerce site Ozon. Sellers claim they operate through subscriptions registered in the names of residents of European countries where the technology is licensed, stating that the connections work not in central Russia but near bordering regions like occupied territories of Ukraine.
Partnership with SpaceX
Plumb emphasized positive discussions with SpaceX despite billionaire Musk's often combative and volatile comments and posts on his social media platform, X.
"To me, they are a very reliable partner and are also 'innovating rapidly,' providing services that are useful to the Department of Defense," he affirmed.
For more information on related topics, consider exploring:
Te puede interesar
Lo más visto
