Solving The Periodicity Predicament: Enhancing ISR in the Face of China's A2/AD Capabilities

The Taiwan Strait and East China Sea are regions of high geopolitical tension. In these areas, the United States faces a significant challenge: monitoring China’s mobile Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) systems. Such systems are designed to prevent or deter an adversary from entering or operating in a specific area. These systems include missiles, sensors, and anti-satellite technologies. They are designed to restrict U.S. military access to strategically critical areas, threatening American interests and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific (Air & Space Forces Magazine, 2022). The U.S. relies on space-based Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems to track these threats. However, a key limitation, the periodicity predicament, reduces their effectiveness. Gaps between satellite passes, ranging from hours to days, allow China’s mobile assets, such as Transporter-Erector-Launchers (TELs), to relocate undetected (Air University’s Wild Blue Yonder, 2023). These persistent gaps could undermine U.S. strategic interests in this vital region, which is home to Taiwan and major trade routes. This article explores innovative strategies to enhance surveillance and ensure continuous monitoring.