The RAF has been using a ground-based system to jam or block satellites from other countries for the past year, according to a defence source. The system has already been used “to deter our adversaries,” the source said.
A new RAF unit called the Space Effects Squadron is being created by the MoD to protect Britain’s satellites. The system could stop a hostile nation’s satellites from tracking the movement of the UK’s nuclear armed submarines or other sensitive military operations, including those involving special forces.
What the Squadron Will Do
The squadron will focus on “disrupting, degrading and denying hostile threats in space,” according to the MoD. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the UK faces “unprecedented threats” from adversaries in space.
Streeting said daily lives depend on satellites powering everyday technologies like mobile phones and banking apps. He added that the loss of GPS would cost the UK economy £1.4bn a day.
Why Satellites Matter to the UK
Streeting pointed out that Britain relies on satellites to deliver weather forecasts, energy supplies, financial transactions, sat-navs, mobile phone connections, and Amazon deliveries. He noted that the loss of “everyday conveniences would undermine our daily freedoms, and trust in our institutions.”
Speaking at the UK Space Conference, Streeting said the threat from Britain’s adversaries was growing in “scale, speed and sophistication,” with challenges in space mirroring the geopolitics on Earth.
The Electronic Warfare Capability
A UK defence source characterised the country’s land-based electronic warfare capacity using the term “world leading, and more.”.
The International Situation
The United States has now officially acknowledged deploying an unnamed “weapon” into orbit to protect its satellites, marking the first such confirmation from the country. China and Russia responded with condemnation, raising concerns about a potential arms race in space.
The United States has named Russia and China as nations working on their own space arms, among which are included items such as:
- Electronic jammers
- Lasers
- Projectiles fired from satellites
- Satellites that can blind other satellites
Those accusations remain unresolved.
The RAF watched “dangerous manoeuvres” tracked by five Russian satellites that moved near two Finnish commercial satellites in May. In June, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth said a Russian satellite constellation had caused disruptions to GPS signals across Europe and Canada.
ACM Smyth warned at the UK Space Conference that “unfortunately we are seeing more and more irresponsible and provocative actions from our adversaries.” He added that without satellites, technologies people take for granted would be lost, making every sector “less efficient, less prosperous and less secure.”
The man pointed out several problems: sat-nav systems would stop working, roads would fill with traffic, and people needing aid from emergency services would wait longer for help. He added that satellites play a role in watching the weather and tracking the effects of climate change.
A small number of military satellites belong to the UK, used for watching over enemies and keeping communications open between forces. The country works alongside the US Space Force, which has far more satellites in orbit.
The continued dominance of the capability in question hinges on future developments in space.
Source material: “UK military jamming other nations' satellites to defend itself, BBC told,” the BBC.
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