“The administration is sleepwalking into an irreversible day zero,” Turner said in remarks at the Centre for International and Strategic Studies, a Washington think tank. “It would be catastrophic, economically, militarily, communication to society.”
Turner believed such a weapon deployed against US satellites would be calamitous for agriculture, medicine, commercial transactions, communications, maritime navigation and international security.
The Ohio congressman chairs the House Intelligence committee, which oversees America’s 17 intelligence agencies. Turner also sits on the House Armed Services committee.
Some news reports have suggested the Russian weapon is some ways off. Others have stated it already exists and is ready for launch, while still others have asserted it is in orbit and undergoing early testing.
“Without confirming or denying the accuracy of any of these reports, the questions they raise must be answered by the Biden administration immediately regardless of Russia’s timing or the possible immediate impact of this evolving threat,” said Turner.
Under its existing doctrine, Moscow is justified in using nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack or a conventional attack that poses an existential threat to the state.
In recent years, authoritarian states and democracies have increasingly faced off.
Beijing has so far balked at taking part in nuclear-arms control talks.
“We are of course also concerned about the potential support that Russia provides to North Korea when it comes to supporting their missile and nuclear programmes,” Stoltenberg added during his recent visit to Washington.
Turner said Russia’s nuclear anti-satellite weapon, if detonated in low-Earth orbit, would indiscriminately decimate all satellites in that band and likely render the orbit unusable for at least a year.
“This threat would mean that our economic, international security and social systems come to a grinding halt,” he said. “This would be a catastrophic and devastating attack upon Western economic and democratic systems.”
“Vladimir Putin knows this. Checkmate.”
Signed by Moscow and Washington in 1967, the treaty precludes the use of nuclear weapons in space.
“Day zero can be avoided,” Turner said.