The Ministry of Defence said the new squadron will protect critical satellites used for communications and missile‑warning, and will be equipped to “disrupt, degrade and deny” any enemy activity targeting British interests in space.
The unit follows two RAF squadrons launched in 2023 that were tasked only with “watching and warning” of space threats; No III will move beyond observation to direct electronic‑warfare actions against identified threats.
Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth is slated to formally unveil the squadron at the two‑day UK Space Power Conference in London on 23 September, where Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned that Britain must “keep pace in the new space race”.
The announcement arrives a week after the United States confirmed for the first time that it has weapons deployed in orbit, a development that prompted China to caution against turning outer space into a battlefield and Russia to demand that space remain free of weapons.
Britain currently operates six dedicated military satellites for communications and surveillance, all fitted with counter‑jamming technology. In 2025, Major‑General Paul Tedman, head of UK Space Command, expressed concern over regular Russian attempts to jam those satellites.
Officials noted that rapid technological advances are outpacing the development of a comprehensive legal framework for space, raising the spectre of an arms race as more nations seek to militarise the domain.