The British military has been actively jamming or blocking satellites belonging to other nations as a defensive measure against hostile threats, the BBC has learned. The Royal Air Force (RAF) has been utilizing a ground-based system for the past year, which a defense source indicated has already been effective in deterring adversaries.

This capability is understood to be employed to prevent hostile nations' satellites from tracking sensitive UK military assets, such as nuclear-armed submarines or special forces operations. The revelation coincides with the establishment of a new RAF unit, the Space Effects Squadron, tasked with defending Britain's own satellites amidst growing threats in space.

A defense source described the UK's terrestrial electronic warfare capabilities as "world-leading." The Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that the new squadron will focus on "disrupting, degrading and denying hostile threats in space." These protected British satellites are crucial for functions including missile attack warnings, communications, and maritime navigation.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the critical role satellites play in daily life, noting that their loss would significantly impact the UK economy, costing an estimated £1.4 billion per day due to disruptions in services like mobile phones, banking, and GPS. He highlighted that the increasing dependency on space makes it a prime target for adversaries.

Streeting further elaborated that the threats in space are escalating in "scale, speed and sophistication," mirroring geopolitical tensions on Earth. He pointed out that satellites are integral to weather forecasts, energy supplies, financial transactions, and everyday conveniences, with their disruption potentially undermining "daily freedoms, and trust in our institutions."

Several nations are believed to possess similar ground-based anti-satellite systems. Last year, the former head of UK Space Command reported that Russia was attempting to jam UK satellites weekly using ground-based systems. This development follows a recent US confirmation of deploying a weapon in space to safeguard its own satellites, a move condemned by China and Russia as a precursor to an arms race.

Both Russia and China have been accused by Washington of developing their own space weaponry, including electronic jammers, lasers, and projectile-based systems. In May, the RAF observed concerning maneuvers by five Russian satellites in close proximity to two commercial Finnish satellites, and in June, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth noted disruptions to GPS signals across Europe caused by a Russian satellite constellation.

The actions underscore the escalating militarization of space and the complex geopolitical challenges emerging beyond Earth's atmosphere, raising questions about international cooperation and the potential for conflict in this new domain.