Britain's Defense Ministry announced on the 23rd that the Royal Air Force has created a new "Third Space Effects Squadron" to protect British satellites used for communications and warning of missile attacks. According to Sina Finance, citing CCTV News, the unit will be the UK's first force dedicated to "disrupting, degrading and denying hostile threats in space," and will draw on technical specialists from the British armed forces to protect satellites used for ship navigation, mobile communications, and early warning of incoming missiles.

Royal Air Force Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Harv Smith formally announced the move in London at the inaugural UK Space Power Conference. The two-day conference will feature a keynote speech by Defense Secretary Wes Streeting. Britain's Defense Ministry said the armed forces had already formed two squadrons at the end of 2023 to carry out missions to monitor and warn of space threats, while the newly formed Third Space Effects Squadron will use advanced technologies including electronic warfare to respond to space threats and support offensive and defensive space operations.

The UK government released an updated UK Space Strategy earlier this month, setting out a "space control requirement" that calls for Britain to retain freedom of action in space and deny that freedom to its opponents. Last autumn, Space Command Commander Paul Tedman told British media that the UK's six military satellites in orbit, used for communications and monitoring, have anti-jamming capabilities.