The Royal Air Force has set up a new space squadron, the Ministry of Defence said on 23 September. No. III Space Effects Squadron is the first UK unit dedicated to disrupting, degrading and denying threats to British satellites.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, the Chief of the Air Staff, announced it at the first UK Space Power Conference. The squadron joins No. I Space Operations Squadron and No. II Space Warning Squadron, which watch for threats in space. The new unit will act against them.

It will use advanced technology, including electronic warfare, and support both defensive and offensive operations. The MoD has not said more. A spokesperson told The Register the details are classified.

“Space no longer supports operations from the sidelines. It’s a domain of direct competition, where our military advantage can be won or lost,” said Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth.

The government has set aside £880m from 2026/27 to 2029/30 for space-based surveillance and for what it calls space control. The squadron will grow as new capabilities arrive.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting was due to give the keynote. In remarks released in advance, he said this century “will depend on control of space”. He compared it to naval power in the 19th century and air power in the 20th.

The satellites the unit will protect support missile warning, mobile networks and weather forecasts, according to the MoD. Emergency services and the power grid also rely on them. The UK says it remains committed to the peaceful use of space and has formally ruled out destructive anti-satellite missile tests.

Europe’s space build-up

The UK space strategy puts £7.8bn behind defence, satellites and the European Space Agency to 2030. In France, Emmanuel Macron hosted a Paris space summit this month. Europe’s largest carriers are also in talks to take on Starlink, Bloomberg reported.