China Simulates Large-Scale Jamming of Starlink Network
Chinese researchers have simulated an extensive electronic-warfare operation designed to disrupt the SpaceX Starlink satellite internet system over an area roughly the size of Taiwan. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Systems Engineering and Electronics, concludes that such an operation would require on the order of 1,000 to 2,000 airborne jamming platforms, such as drones or balloons.
Background: Starlink as a Strategic Target
Starlink, the low-Earth orbit (LEO) megaconstellation operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has gained military relevance—especially after its use in Ukraine enabled resilient battlefield communications. China perceives the network as a strategic threat, especially in the context of a potential Taiwan contingency, and has devoted research to ways of countering it.
Earlier Chinese academic work also explored “hunting” Starlink satellites in orbit, including how a small number of Chinese satellites (around 99) might approach nearly 1,400 Starlink satellites within 12 hours for reconnaissance or directed-energy operations.
Simulation Details: A Drone-Grid Approach to Disrupt Starlink
Large-Scale EW Deployment
- The new simulation, by researchers from Zhejiang University and the Beijing Institute of Technology, demonstrates that Starlink’s adaptive, frequency-hopping network cannot be reliably jammed from a few ground stations.
- To effectively suppress Starlink over a region comparable to Taiwan (~36,000 km²), the study estimates that 935 low- to mid-altitude platforms are needed for robust jamming.
- If using lower-power jammers, the required number increases to up to 2,000 synchronized nodes, arranged in a dense grid.
Electronic Warfare Methods
- These airborne nodes would employ signal jamming techniques to emit noise across Starlink frequencies.
- Researchers note that Starlink’s distributed architecture and inter-satellite links complicate traditional jamming.
- The simulation also accounts for the rapid handoff between satellites: when one link is disrupted, a terminal may switch to another satellite within seconds.
Technical Challenges
- The authors acknowledge significant gaps in their data: key Starlink parameters, such as the detailed radiation patterns of customer terminals, remain undisclosed, limiting the simulation’s precision.
- High-altitude drones or aircraft would need to maintain precise formation and synchronization to sustain a wide-area jamming “barrier.”
Strategic & Policy Implications
Military Implications
From a military standpoint, this study signals Beijing’s increasing concern about Starlink’s role in conflict. Analysts note that the network’s adaptability, resilience, and geographic reach make it a force multiplier in modern warfare—especially in contested regions like Taiwan.
Counterspace Strategy
China appears to be pursuing a layered strategy to counter Starlink:
- Soft Warfare / EW: As demonstrated in this simulation, jamming via drones or balloons.
- Hard-Kill Options: Other Chinese research suggests using directed energy (lasers), microwaves, or even specialized “chaser” satellites to disable Starlink units.
- Own Constellation: Concurrently, China is building its own LEO internet networks, such as the “Qianfan” or Thousand Sails constellation, to reduce reliance on foreign systems.
Expert Perspective
Space security analysts observe that while the simulation demonstrates technical feasibility, the resource burden is enormous. According to a 2025 Space Threat Assessment by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), China’s counterspace capabilities are advancing—but large-scale jamming remains costly and complex.
What’s Next: Risks and Potential Scenarios
- Escalation Risk: Should such a drone-based jamming network be deployed in a crisis, it would represent a major escalation in electronic and space warfare.
- Arms Race in LEO: China’s research and simulations may accelerate a broader counterspace arms race, prompting other states to bolster their own satellite resilience or offensive capabilities.
- Diplomatic Fallout: The deployment of jamming across contested territories, especially over or near Taiwan, could provoke international legal and diplomatic challenges.
