The Royal Air Force has established its first specialist unit dedicated to protecting Britain’s interests in space, marking a significant expansion of the UK’s military capabilities beyond Earth.
No. III Space Effects Squadron was unveiled on 23 September by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth at the inaugural UK Space Power Conference. The new formation is designed to respond directly to hostile activity against British and allied space assets, including attempts to jam, disrupt or otherwise interfere with satellites.
The squadron will bring together specialist personnel from across the Armed Forces and will be tasked with disrupting, degrading and denying hostile space operations. Its capabilities are expected to include electronic warfare and other countermeasures, supporting both defensive and offensive military operations in space.
The new unit complements two existing RAF space formations. No. I Space Operations Squadron is responsible for space operations, while No. II Space Warning Squadron monitors potential threats and provides warning. No. III will add the ability to respond to those threats.
The RAF said the squadron will expand as additional technologies and capabilities become available.
Satellites increasingly central to Britain's security
The government says the protection of space infrastructure has become a national security priority because satellites underpin both military operations and many routine services used across Britain.
Satellite systems support intelligence collection, missile-warning capabilities and navigation, while also contributing to mobile communications, weather forecasting and online services. Emergency services, including police, ambulance and fire crews, depend on satellite navigation, while electricity networks use satellite-based timing and positioning technologies to help manage power systems.
Officials warn that the growing number of satellites and increasing military competition in orbit are creating new vulnerabilities. States are developing technologies capable of interfering with satellite communications and navigation or potentially disabling space-based systems.
Speaking at the conference, Air Chief Marshal Smyth said space had moved from being a supporting element of military operations to a domain in which countries directly compete for strategic advantage.
“Space no longer supports operations from the sidelines. It’s a domain of direct competition, where our military advantage can be won or lost,” he said.
He added that the new squadron would protect the advantages Britain and its allies derive from space while developing the ability to prevent adversaries from exploiting similar capabilities.
Government seeks greater freedom to operate in space
The creation of No. III Space Effects Squadron forms part of a broader UK effort to develop what the government calls its “Control of Space Requirement” — maintaining Britain's ability to operate freely in space while restricting an adversary's ability to threaten British interests.
The requirement was included in the UK's newly published Space Strategy and builds on priorities identified in the Strategic Defence Review. The government has argued that reliable access to space is increasingly important to national security, economic activity and everyday life.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting is also expected to argue that the strategic importance of space is comparable to the importance of naval power in the 19th century and air power in the 20th century.
“The threat is growing in scale, speed, and sophistication,” Streeting is expected to say. “And challenges in space increasingly mirror the geopolitics on Earth.”
He is expected to emphasise the need for Britain to strengthen deterrence in space while modernising its armed forces to respond to potential threats across multiple domains.
£880 million investment in space capabilities
The new squadron is part of a wider investment programme. Britain plans to spend £880 million between 2026/27 and 2029/30 on space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities as well as activities designed to strengthen space control.
The programme includes the development of electronic warfare and countermeasures against anti-satellite capabilities.
At the same time, the government says its military preparations will be accompanied by a commitment to the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space.
Britain has formally ruled out conducting destructive anti-satellite missile tests, which can create large quantities of orbital debris. It also continues to work through the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to promote international norms and responsible behaviour in orbit.
The RAF's new squadron therefore represents a shift towards a more active British military presence in space, combining the monitoring of threats with the ability to respond to hostile activity while supporting cooperation with international allies and partners.
