Russia Fund: The New Space Race Targeting UK Satellites

Mon Oct 20 2025 22:13:23 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

British military satellites are facing consistent threats from Russian interference, as highlighted by the head of UK Space Command, Major General Paul Tedman.

The UK is experiencing weekly attempts by Russia to jam its military satellites, as revealed by Major General Paul Tedman. With increasing interference since the invasion of Ukraine, the UK is stepping up efforts to defend its space assets amid growing threats from Russian and Chinese space developments. Investments in missile defense and technology upgrades are planned to enhance satellite security.

Russian satellites have been stalking British military satellites, according to the head of the UK Space Command. In an interview with the BBC, Maj Gen Paul Tedman has for the first time set out the level of interference from Moscow against the UK's space-based assets. He stated that Russia has been trying to jam the UK's military satellites with ground-based systems every week.

Gen Tedman provided details on the tactics used by Russia, noting they fly relatively close to UK satellites and attempt to gather information. Despite counter-jamming technologies installed on UK satellites, the interference is described as persistent.

Additionally, Gen Tedman emphasized that the frequency of these jamming attempts has notably increased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The UK currently operates around half a dozen military satellites, while rivals like the US, China, and Russia have over a hundred.

To strengthen its defenses, the UK government plans to invest in new technologies aimed at detecting laser threats in space, as both Russia and China have developed lasers that could disrupt satellite functions.

Furthermore, Gen Tedman expressed his concerns regarding congestion in space, where about 45,000 objects, including 9,000 satellites, are currently in orbit. The challenge is compounded by the anticipated surge in rocket launches, with an additional 300 scheduled this year alone.

As the space race intensifies, the UK aims to increase its defense budget allocation for space initiatives, which currently sits at only 1% of its total defense spending.