Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis

Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis 3 hours ago Share Save Jonathan Beale Defence correspondent, London Share Save Space X The UK launched the Tyche military imaging satellite into orbit on a Space X rocket last year 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 said Russia had also been trying to jam the UK's military satellites with ground-based systems every week. Last month Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said Russia had been shadowing satellites used by their military.

General Tedman said Russian satellites had been stalking British military satellites Gen Tedman gave details of how Russia was doing the same to the UK.

"They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close," he said. "They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them. "

Gen Tedman said UK military satellites had been fitted with counter-jamming technologies but added: "We're seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis. "

When asked how often, he replied "weekly". It was, he said, deliberate and the activity had increased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Britain has half a dozen dedicated military satellites in orbit providing communications and surveillance. In contrast, the US, China and Russia each have more than a hundred.

The combined Russian and Chinese fleet of satellites has increased by 70% over the past decade.

Gen Tedman said Russia and China had both tested anti-satellite weapons. Both the UK and the US have warned that Russia has been developing the capability to put nuclear weapons in space.

While the US sees China as the pacing threat, Gen Tedman sees Russia as the more immediate danger: "I would say the Chinese have by far the more sophisticated capability but the Russians have more will to use their counter-space systems. "

Gen Tedman said he was "really worried" about what was happening in space – not just the threats but the increasing congestion.

There are currently about 45,000 objects in orbit including around 9,000 satellites.

This year will see another 300 rocket launches into space.

UK MoD Tyche is the MoD's first wholly owned Earth observation satellite. The general was speaking on a visit to RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire. It is home to Britain and America's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System. It is a job they has been doing since 1963. The three famous large radomes or "golf balls" from the Cold War era have been replaced by a 30-metre (98-ft) pyramid which houses thousands of antennae. It looks like a spaceship has landed on the North Yorkshire moors, surrounded by sheep, an electrified perimeter fence and razor wire. The unblinking eye provides 360 degree coverage from the Arctic to North Africa, and from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Its radar can track objects the size of a tin can, 3,000 miles (4,800km) into space. Inside, the heavy blast doors and air locks tell you that his too could be a target for any adversary. In the operations room, UK military personnel watch round the clock, every day of the year. The RAF's 2 Space Warning Squadron take us through the drill of how they detect a missile launch. They are plugged into other US satellites and sensors that enable them to detect a launch anywhere in the world. Gen Tedman calls space "a team sport" but, in reality, the UK is heavily reliant on America. US contractors maintain the radar at Fylingdales. The UK officer in charge of the watch says along with other sources "we'd know the UK was under threat probably within a minute". What is mentioned less is the UK's ability to intercept ballistic missiles. Currently the UK has very little in the way of ballistic missile defence. The RAF Fylingdales air force base in North Yorkshire is home to Britain and America's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System