Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon reliance on SpaceX

A Starlink outage disrupted U.S. Navy drone tests, highlighting the Pentagon’s growing dependence on SpaceX for critical military communications, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters.

During a test off the California coast last August, a global outage of the satellite network left around two dozen unmanned surface vessels temporarily unable to communicate, halting operations for nearly an hour, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The incident was one of several disruptions linked to connectivity issues with Starlink, affecting tests involving autonomous maritime drones designed to strengthen U.S. capabilities in a potential conflict scenario.

The documents also revealed that earlier tests faced intermittent connection problems and limitations when handling multiple unmanned systems simultaneously, raising concerns about network reliability under heavy operational loads.

Despite these setbacks, experts say Starlink remains a key asset due to its global coverage and relatively low cost. Its vast network of low-Earth orbit satellites has made it an essential tool for military programs, including drone operations and missile tracking.

However, the incidents have intensified concerns among policymakers about the risks of relying heavily on a single private company for national security infrastructure.

While the Pentagon says it uses multiple systems to ensure resilience, the growing role of SpaceX technologies underscores both the advantages and vulnerabilities of such dependence.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada