Putin’s area wars might ‘wipe out UK’s GPS programs’ and value £1.4billion a day
Head of the RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth has urged Britain to ramp up its operations in space, which has become a ‘warfighting domain in its own right’
Space wars could cost Brits millions, the RAF boss warned (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Russian space wars could have a disastrous impact on the UK’s GPS systems and cost us billions, the head of the RAF has warned.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth accused Moscow of “provocative actions” that are raising questions about the country’s “intent in space” at a London conference yesterday (September 23).
He warned the network of satellites that provide UK systems such as GPS and sat-nav – worth £1.4billion every day – are at threat.
Sir Smyth said: “We are seeing more and more irresponsible and provocative actions from our adversaries in flagrant disregard of the norms for responsible behaviour by spacefaring nations.
“In May of this year we tracked a series of unusual and significant manoeuvres by five Russian satellites moving to within rapid reach of two Finnish commercial satellites.
The RAF boss warned he was seeing ‘irresponsible and provocative’ actions from Russia (stock)(Image: Getty Images)
“The next month, it was confirmed that a Russian satellite constellation had caused disruptions to GPS signals across Europe, Greenland and Canada.”
The army boss added it was vital the UK step up our operations in space, which had become a “warfighting domain in its own right”.
He said: “‘Make no mistake the satellite services you may have taken for granted face an unprecedented threat. Sat-nav systems would fail, congestion on our roads would be severe and our emergency services would take longer to help those in need.
“Space can no longer be delayed, deferred or delegated. It must now be delivered. No one wants war in space. But we must respond to a rapidly changing environment in which threats to our critical space systems are growing every day.”
During his speech Sir Smyth confirmed the creation of a new RAF space squadron to defend satellites, the “No III Space Effects Squadron”. He also outlined plans for a fourth, fifth and six space squadron, reflecting the growing threat to UK security posed by forces outside the earth’s orbit.
Russian interference in space has already been observed, the army boss reported (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
It comes after the US confirmed it had placed weapons in space to counter Chinese and Russian military activity there.
It is understood that the UK is hoping to position military assets in space by 2035, with the emphasis on electronic warfare measures such as jammers to prevent attacks on UK satellites.
The UK has formally ruled out destructive anti-satellite missile testing and continues to work through the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to promote norms, rules and principles of responsible space behaviours.
