Philippines looks to space for bird’s-eye view of South China Sea threats

Philippines looks to space for bird’s-eye view of South China Sea threats Having dedicated satellites is ‘something that makes sense’ as it would give the military more control over its territory, experts say But analysts said the ambition would be constrained by the technical, financial and manpower hurdles of turning space assets into military capability. “It will be a centre. We need to start small first, and later on, we will expand into a space command or space force,” Brawner told reporters, noting the plan called for the use of military satellites. A space command would provide the military with a sovereign platform for persistent surveillance not only of the South China Sea but across the entire Philippine archipelago, said Rommel Jude Ong, a retired Philippine Navy rear admiral who is now a professor of praxis at the Ateneo School of Government.