A test by Russia of its new "Nudol" anti-satellite missile (ASAT) in May 2016 and a test by China of a similar weapon called "Dong Neng-3" in October 2015 confirm the stepped-up development pace of these weapons by the United States' near-peer competitors.

Russia reported success for the first successful flight test of Nudol, an event some analysts said heralds a new phase in the militarization of space. It was the first success in three attempts for the direct ascent, hit-to-kill ASAT fired from a mobile launcher.

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The test also makes Russia only the third state with an operational ASAT capability behind the U.S. and China. The ASAT is being developed within the scope of the Nudol OKR, or experimental development project.

The second and failed Nudol test took place in November 2015. This ASAT was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome test launch facility 500 miles north of Moscow.

On the other hand, a new test saw China launch its Dong Neng-3 (DN-3) exoatmospheric vehicle from the Korla Missile Test Complex in western China. This was the eighth test flight for DN-3.

DN-3 is another direct-ascent weapon designed to ram U.S. satellites and destroy them. It's another of China's new generation of midcourse interception ASATs. China's newer ASATs, the KZ-1 and KZ-11, are said to have a longer range than the DN-3.

China, however, said these satellites aren't ASATs. It again claims it advocates for the peaceful use of outer space, and opposes the weaponization of space.

Frank Rose, Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance said the State Department has high confidence the October 2014 test of DN-3 "was indeed an ASAT test."

"The continued development and testing of destructive ASAT systems is both destabilizing and threatens the long-term security and sustainability of the outer space environment," he said.

U.S. Air Force Gen. John Hyten, Commander, Air Force Space Command, said the U.S. is developing weapons are to counter China's ASATs.

Gen. Hyten said the U.S. has the right of self defense and "we'll make sure we can execute that right" if its satellites are threatened. "That's why we have a military."

Tagsanti-satellite missile, ASAT, Russia, china, Dong Neng-3, Frank Rose, Gen. John Hyten