LONDON: Britain will establish a new Royal Air Force (RAF) space squadron tasked with protecting the country’s critical satellites from hostile activity, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on Wednesday, as major powers expand their military capabilities in outer space.
The new unit, to be known as No III Space Effects Squadron, will be responsible for responding to threats against British interests in space, including activities targeting satellites used for secure communications and missile-warning systems, according to the MoD.
The ministry described the squadron as the UK’s first dedicated unit focused on “disrupting, degrading, and denying enemy activity targeting British interests in space”.
The new squadron will use advanced technologies, including electronic warfare capabilities, to respond to potential threats to British space assets.
The MoD said Britain had already established two other RAF space squadrons in 2023 whose responsibilities include monitoring space-based threats and providing warnings about potential dangers. The new unit will add an operational capability designed to respond to such threats.
Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth is scheduled to formally unveil the squadron on Wednesday during the two-day UK Space Power Conference in London. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting is also expected to address the conference and warn that Britain must “keep pace in the new space race”.
US weapons in orbit above earth
The announcement comes slightly more than a week after the United States confirmed for the first time that it has weapons deployed in orbit above the Earth.
The US announcement has prompted concern from other major powers. China has warned against turning outer space into a “battlefield”, while Russia has said space should remain free from any weapon, amid growing concerns over the possibility of an arms race beyond Earth.
Military space capabilities have expanded rapidly in recent years alongside advances in satellite, electronic warfare and other technologies.
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However, the growing use of space for military purposes has also raised questions about the adequacy of the existing international legal framework governing activities in orbit.
Last year, the head of UK Space Command, Major General Paul Tedman, said he was “really worried” about Russia’s alleged attempts to regularly jam British military satellites.
At the time, Tedman said the UK was operating six dedicated military satellites for communications and surveillance. He added that the satellites were equipped with technology designed to counter jamming attempts.
The creation of the new squadron represents a further expansion of Britain’s military space capabilities as countries increasingly regard satellites and other space-based systems as essential to national security, communications, surveillance and early-warning operations.
