Russia Intensifies Surveillance and Jamming of UK Military Satellites

Fri Oct 10 2025 18:24:17 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

UK Space Command reveals increased Russian activity targeting British military satellites, with weekly jamming efforts and persistent surveillance operations.

Amid rising tensions, the UK Space Command has reported that Russia is tracking British military satellites and jamming their signals weekly. Maj Gen Paul Tedman highlighted how persistent Russian activities and attempts to collect information from UK assets have increased since the invasion of Ukraine. With a limited number of military satellites compared to Russia and China, the UK is focusing on enhancing its space defenses, including testing laser threat detection sensors.

Russia Intensifies Surveillance and Jamming of UK Military Satellites

UK Space Command reports that Russian satellites are actively stalking British military satellites. Maj Gen Paul Tedman revealed to the BBC that these activities include weekly attempts to jam signals from UK military satellites using ground-based systems.

Last month, similar concerns were echoed by Germany's Defence Minister regarding Russian shadowing of their military satellites. Gen Tedman described the situation, stating, They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close, and noted that Russian satellites are equipped to observe and collect intelligence from UK military assets.

Despite the UK military satellites being fitted with counter-jamming technologies, Gen Tedman confirmed that instances of jamming are occurring consistently, emphasizing a deliberate strategy from Russia. This increased interference has been notable since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In contrast to the UK's approximately six military satellites, major powers like the US, China, and Russia maintain fleets comprising over a hundred satellites each. Both Russia and China have expanded their satellite capabilities by 70% over the last decade and have tested anti-satellite weaponry.

While the US considers China the primary threat in advanced capabilities, Gen Tedman regards Russia as the more immediate adversary, citing their readiness to employ counter-space systems. The general voiced concerns over the saturation of objects in space, noting approximately 45,000 objects currently in orbit, including about 9,000 satellites.

On a visit to RAF Fylingdales, home to the UK and US ballistic missile warning system, Gen Tedman highlighted the importance of advancing the UK’s capabilities in both space defense and missile defense. Recent government commitments include a billion-pound investment into integrated air and missile defense, with a notable component for space defense innovations, particularly against laser threats.

Despite these efforts, the UK trails behind other nations in defense spending on space, investing roughly 1% of its budget, compared to France's 3% and the US's 5%. Concerns remain that the country must prioritize its space defense initiatives more, especially as approximately £450 billion of its economy relies on space considerations.

Finally, Gen Tedman underscored the vital aspect of space in modern warfare, describing operations that can detect missile launches within minutes, illustrating the urgency and need for robust defense measures as global tensions reflect the persistent threat posed by Russia.