UK launches military space unit to guard satellites
The Royal Air Force has established No. III Space Effects Squadron to protect satellites used for communications and navigation. The unit is expected to use electronic warfare and other advanced technology to disrupt hostile space activities rather than destructive anti-satellite missiles. The UK has ruled out destructive ASAT testing and says further details are classified.
The RAF’s new No. III Space Effects Squadron was unveiled by Air Chief Marshal Sir Harvey Smyth at a London space power conference. It joins No. I Space Operations Squadron and No. II Space Warning Squadron, which already monitor and warn about orbital threats; the new unit adds a capability to act against them.
Because the UK has no anti-satellite missiles and has ruled out destructive anti-satellite testing, the squadron is expected to rely on electronic warfare and other advanced technologies to interfere with, weaken, or block hostile space activity. Further capability details remain classified, though the MoD says it will support both attack and defense roles and scale up as new systems arrive.
This move may affect satellite-dependent services such as communications, navigation, emergency response, and power-grid timing. If electronic warfare capabilities grow, military and civilian space operators could face new interference risks, while the UK may gain more ability to protect its orbital assets. The emphasis on non-destructive tools could shape norms, though classified details limit public scrutiny.