British military don dey jam or block satellites from other countries to defend itself from hostile threats, BBC been tell. RAF don dey use ground-based system for past one year, and a defence source talk say dem don already use am to deter our adversaries.
Dem understand say the system fit stop hostile nation satellites from tracking movement of UK nuclear-armed submarines or other sensitive military operations, like those wey involve special forces.
This one come as head of RAF talk say UK face unprecedented threats from adversaries in space, and e coincide with creation of new RAF unit wey dem set up to defend Britain satellites.
Ministry of Defence talk say new Space Effects Squadron go focus on disrupting, degrading and denying hostile threats in space. The squadron go protect British satellites wey dey warn of incoming missile attacks, provide communications and help guide ships.
For speech on Wednesday, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting talk say daily lives depend on satellites wey power everyday technologies like mobile phones and banking apps. E add say loss of GPS go cost UK economy £1.4bn a day.
E talk say our dependency on space na exactly why e dey increasingly under threat from our adversaries. We depend on them for everything from weather forecasts, energy supplies, and financial transactions to sat-navs, mobile phone connections, and Amazon deliveries, Streeting talk. E add say loss of everyday conveniences go undermine daily freedoms and trust in our institutions.
Speaking at UK Space Conference, Streeting talk say threat from Britain adversaries dey grow in scale, speed and sophistication. E add say challenges in space increasingly mirror geopolitics on Earth.
A number of nations believed to get similar ground-based systems against satellites. Last year then head of UK Space Command talk say Russia dey try jam UK satellites with ground-based systems every week. The defence source describe UK terrestrial electronic warfare capability as world leading and more.
Last week US confirm for first time say e also deploy an unspecified weapon in space to defend im own satellites. Both China and Russia condemn the move, warning of arms race in space. However, Washington don already accuse both Russia and China of developing dia own space weapons, from electronic jammers, lasers to blind other satellites and even projectiles wey fit fire from satellites in orbit.
In May, RAF track a series of dangerous manoeuvres by five Russian satellites moving close to two Finnish commercial satellites. RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth talk in June say a Russian satellite constellation cause disruptions to GPS signals across Europe and Canada.
UK get a handful of military satellites in orbit for surveillance and military communications. But e work closely with US Space Force, wey get many more. For separate speech at space conference, ACM Smyth add say unfortunately we dey see more and more irresponsible and provocative actions from adversaries.
ACM Smyth warn say without satellites, some technologies people take for granted go lost and go make every sector less efficient, less prosperous and less secure. E talk say sat-nav systems go fail, congestion on roads go severe and emergency services go take longer to help those in need. E add say satellites also needed to monitor weather and effects of climate change.
A new military unit dedicated to defending satellites, protecting services people need on Earth and potentially supporting offensive operations dey launched by UK. No III Space Effects Squadron go announce on Wednesday, with defence secretary Wes Streeting warning say Britain need to keep pace in new space race.
Control of the waves na essential ingredient in 19th-century deterrence, e go tell Space Power conference. That na why Britain build finest naval power in history. In 20th century na control of skies, and so we build world class air force to protect us. This century go depend on control of space.
New Royal Air Force squadron go protect satellites used to warn of incoming missile attacks, provide communications and help guide ships, MoD talk. E go bring together specialist personnel from across armed forces to counter hostile activity in orbit and defend satellites nation depends on every day.
Two existing units, No I Space Operations Squadron and No II Space Warning Squadron, already allow RAF to watch and warn of threats in space. MoD talk say new squadron go act against those threats, using advanced technology, including electronic warfare, to disrupt, degrade and deny hostile actions. Dem intend to support offensive and defensive space operations and e go expand over time as new capabilities enter service.
Chief of air staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, go talk on Wednesday say space no longer support operations from sidelines. E talk say na domain of direct competition, where our military advantage fit won or lost.
UK don formally rule out destructive anti-satellite missile testing and government talk on Wednesday say e continue to work through UN committee on peaceful uses of outer space to promote norms, rules and principles of responsible space behaviours. Smyth and Streeting dey speak at conference in London wey Space Command wing of RAF promote.
Moves come after warnings say other nations dey build up military capabilities in space. UK Space Command talk last year say Russia dey attempt to jam UK military satellites on regular basis. US, wey establish United States Space Force in 2019 as sixth branch of armed forces, talk earlier this month say e don deploy weapons in space for first time.
Responding to US announcement, China foreign ministry talk say Washington dey prepare for war in outer space, and warn against turning space into battlefield, as well as arms race there. UK announcement on Wednesday come weeks after release of government strategy designed to strengthen defences against threats from space.
