UK Launches First RAF Space Squadron to Protect Satellites from Hostile Threats

LONDON — The United Kingdom has launched a new Royal Air Force (RAF) squadron dedicated to protecting British satellites from hostile activity in space, as the government moves to strengthen the country’s military capabilities in an increasingly contested domain.

Known as No. III Space Effects Squadron, the new unit will bring together specialist personnel from across the British Armed Forces to counter threats to satellites that support critical services, including communications, missile-warning systems and navigation for military vessels.

The Ministry of Defence said the squadron will be capable of responding to hostile activity in orbit through advanced technologies, including electronic warfare designed to disrupt, degrade and deny hostile actions against UK space assets. It will support both defensive and offensive space operations and is expected to expand as new capabilities enter service.

The new unit complements two existing RAF formations — No. I Space Operations Squadron and No. II Space Warning Squadron — which monitor space activity and provide warnings about potential threats. The new squadron is intended to provide the capability to act against such threats.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting is expected to say that Britain must keep pace with what he described as a new space race, while Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth said space had become a domain of direct competition in which military advantage could be gained or lost.

The announcement comes amid growing international concern over military activities in space. The UK has previously said that Russia has attempted to interfere with British military satellites, including through jamming.

The British government has also formally ruled out destructive anti-satellite missile testing and said it remains committed to promoting responsible behaviour and peaceful uses of outer space through the United Nations.

The new squadron forms part of the UK’s broader Space Strategy and efforts to strengthen its ability to protect critical space infrastructure. The government has committed £880 million between 2026/27 and 2029/30 for space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and space-control activities.

The UK’s wider space strategy also includes additional investment in domestic launch capabilities, with SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland set to receive £30 million as part of measures aimed at strengthening Britain’s space infrastructure.