London establishes a specialist unit for offensive and defensive space operations
The United Kingdom is set to establish a new space squadron tasked with countering threats from adversaries and protecting British interests in space. Known as No. 3 Space Effects Squadron, the unit will be responsible for disrupting, degrading and denying hostile activities.
The announcement was made by Royal Air Force Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth during the UK Space Power Conference in London.
The new formation will be staffed by specialist personnel and will conduct both defensive missions and operations designed to undermine the space capabilities of potential adversaries.
“No one wants a war in space”
Harv Smyth stressed that Britain’s objective is not to trigger a conflict in orbit, but to deter one.
“No one wants a war in space. We are positioning ourselves to deter it,” the British official said.
He warned, however, that the United Kingdom is witnessing an increasing number of “irresponsible and provocative actions” by adversaries across the space domain. Against this backdrop, the new squadron is intended to strengthen Britain’s ability to respond to threats and protect its infrastructure and strategic interests.
The British announcement came just days after senior US military officials publicly acknowledged that space-control weapons are already deployed in orbit and are capable of defending joint forces against hostile adversary actions.
Three squadrons to monitor and defend space
No. 3 Space Effects Squadron will join two other British space formations already in operation.
No. 1 Space Operations Squadron works with the National Space Operations Centre to monitor hazardous objects, including space debris and other bodies in Earth orbit.
No. 2 Space Warning Squadron is responsible for missile-warning capabilities and tracking objects in space.
Britain’s plans extend beyond these three units. Harv Smyth said additional squadrons are being considered, including Nos. 4, 5 and 6. The expansion programme is expected to include a dedicated space tactics and training branch, as well as units responsible for operating the future Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability.
DARC set to become the backbone of orbital surveillance
The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability, or DARC, is being developed jointly by the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. The programme is regarded as a cornerstone of Britain’s ability to detect and track satellites, space debris, asteroids and other objects orbiting Earth.
The system will consist of three sites — one in the UK, one in the United States and one in Australia. The network is designed to provide full-sky coverage at all times of day and in all weather conditions.
New centre for air, space and missile defence
The United Kingdom also plans to establish a dedicated space-defence function within a newly created Integrated Air, Space and Missile Defence Operations Centre.
The future facility will modernise Britain’s national air and missile-defence operations centre. The project forms part of a £400 million, or approximately $530 million, defence investment plan aimed at replacing ageing command-and-control systems and sensors.
The plan includes an initial allocation of £40 million for the centre’s modernisation.
More than £3 billion earmarked for space capabilities
Over the next four years, Britain’s defence investment programme will allocate £3.2 billion to the development of space capabilities.
Of that amount, £2.3 billion will be directed towards satellite communications, while £880 million will fund space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Between 2030 and 2035, London plans to spend at least £9 billion on developing new capabilities for the space domain.
At the same time, the UK’s national space strategy for 2027–2035 sets out an interagency funding plan worth more than £7.8 billion through 2030.
Military advantage increasingly depends on control of information
As European governments and allied nations accelerate investment in space-based intelligence, military advantage will increasingly depend on their ability to combine data from sovereign, government and commercial sources.
The objective is to create a trusted, unified operational picture that enables faster decision-making and a coordinated response to emerging threats in space.
