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Comment by sharpshadow | Hacker News Reader

Uhm are they serious!? Jammers are forbidden by most countries and they find it okay to put that into space as a satellite. Honestly if the scenario they describe when it comes to use it will be a target immediately and shot down just causing more debris. Space should be kept weapon free for the sake of humanity.

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> Jammers are forbidden by most countries and they find it okay to put that into space as a satellite.

You'll find such forbidding tends to exempt the countries themselves. Every military on the planet uses jammers.

I can't collect taxes, but they can. I can't put someone in jail, but they can. I can't negotiate with foreign powers, but they can.

> I can't negotiate with foreign powers

As an aside, I think this one is a maybe (in the US). Weirdly in over 200 years there's only been two indictments under the Logan Act and no convictions. [1]

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-un/flynn...

Shooting other people is also forbidden in most countries, but militaries of said countries are still allowed to do it e.g. when they're at war. This is the same, but for satellite communications.

The jammer under discussion is not a satellite. It is a ground-based system that jams satellites. Did you read the article? There's even a photo of the system right at the top.

Damn I’m sorry.. the picture was blurry on the device I used since no JS and it was just the free part of the whole article. I was sloppy at the end of the workday and the weekend ahead.

Probably also biased towards a satellite with jammers.

> shot down just causing more debris

Yes, wars create debris. In this case, on the ground.

Jammers are only illegal in the civilian legal context. I'm not aware of anything that makes jammers inherently illegal by broader law of armed conflict. Necessity and proportionality comes into play. Targeted jamming of military communications would certainly be allowed. Jamming of dual-use satellites becomes more nuanced.

> Jammers are forbidden by most countries

Russia is jamming their Western neighbours' GPS. I can't wait for US microwave weapons that fry their satellites.

You can’t wait for escalation? Are you pro-war???

They're currently shipping North Korean soldiers in to assist their invasion of Ukraine. That's a rather significant "escalation".

no they are not thats dumb but what is most assuredly happening, useing the most correct military protocols,is that Russia is hosting military attaché's from China and many others ,ie non combatant oficers who can watch and learn how to combat western weapons and tactics and as its turned into drone war 1,everybody has to recalibrate,with the brick's block(heh heh) all realy realy glad it isnt them getting droned to bits Russia is training some north Korean troops,but its likely going to be realy basic stuff fof joint border patrols and all in all a pr stick in the eye for the collective west

In English, it's a convention to use a space after a comma.

Sure, they're just visiting. 18 NK soldiers were left in a wood in Kursk without food and instructions for days and Russian authorities arrested them 60 km from their positions. They were likely foraging for food.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/40579

Are you pro-capitulation to authoritarian states?

The current slate of Russian GPS jamming is not being done by satellites.

Same with this system. It is terestrial with wheels.

They have satellites of their own. Since it's more expensive to launch, put them into orbit and operate them, I'm sure they'll reach some sort of "mutually beneficial" agreement, like we promise not to screw with yours if you won't mess with ours.

tit-for-tat means targeting ground equipment

attacking satellites is an escalation, and if they retaliate in-kind, we'll get mutually assured destruction of satellites and Kessler syndrome, and the size of the US economy means there's a lot more to lose in MAD compared to them

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