UK Military Satellites Under Regular Attack from Russia

Fri Oct 10 2025 14:09:13 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

General Paul Tedman reveals that Russian satellites have been persistently targeting British military satellites on a weekly basis, raising concerns over space security amid increasing cosmic congestion.

UK Space Command has reported ongoing interference from Russian satellites focusing on British military assets, highlighting growing tensions in space between global powers. With Russia's intentions and recent counter-space activities outlined, General Tedman emphasizes the need for increased UK investment in space defense.

According to the head of the UK Space Command, General Paul Tedman, Russian satellites have been closely monitoring British military satellites, with interference occurring on a weekly basis. In recent comments to the BBC, he laid out the extent of Russian actions, which include attempts to jam UK military satellites with ground systems.

Last month, Germany's Defence Minister corroborated similar observations regarding Russian activity surrounding their military satellites, reflecting a broader concern.

General Tedman spoke candidly about how Russian satellites are attempting to gather information by flying relatively close to UK assets, indicating that they possess equipment capable of visually identifying them. Despite the UK implementing counter-jamming technologies on its military satellites, General Tedman reported a consistent issue with Russian interference, which has notably escalated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The UK currently operates approximately half a dozen military satellites, providing vital communication and surveillance capabilities; in contrast, the US, China, and Russia possess over a hundred. The significant expansion of the Russian and Chinese satellite fleets by 70% over the past decade raises alarm over competitive tensions in space.

In light of evolving space threats, General Tedman voiced concerns not just about hostile actions, but also about the increasing congestion of objects in orbit, with about 45,000 objects including approximately 9,000 satellites currently in space. With an estimated 300 rocket launches anticipated this year alone, the risk of collision and interference is on the rise.

Echoing apprehensions over the military implications of space, General Tedman highlighted that both Russia and China have tested anti-satellite weaponry and warned of ongoing advancements in their capacities to deploy nuclear weapons in space.

While viewing China as having a more advanced space capability, he perceives Russia as posing a more immediate threat due to their higher willingness to engage their counter-space systems. His worries extend to the UK's reliance on American support for space operations, especially concerning early missile warning systems and how they may soon need to intercept potential ballistic threats.

The UK government is responding by promising increased investment in space defense, including the testing of sensors designed to detect space-based laser threats, as both Russia and China develop such disruptive technologies.

Citing commitments of a billion pounds towards integrated air and missile defense, General Tedman called for prioritizing the UK’s space strategy, which he argues is essential given that around £450 billion of the UK economy relies on space-based systems. As military and civilian operations become increasingly intertwined within space frameworks, the imperative for protective measures grows.