UK Military Satellites Under Constant Threat from Russian Interference

Fri Oct 10 2025 15:06:23 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Maj Gen Paul Tedman of the UK Space Command reveals ongoing Russian efforts to jam and stalk British military satellites, raising concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the UK's space assets.

The UK's military satellites are frequently targeted by Russian interference, according to Maj Gen Paul Tedman of UK Space Command. In an alarming disclosure, he stated that Russian satellites are actively stalking British military satellites, and intentional jamming occurs every week. The situation poses serious implications not just for satellite operations but also for national security amidst an increasing number of space objects and foreign anti-satellite capabilities.

Russian satellites have been stalking British military satellites, according to the head of the UK Space Command.

In an interview with the BBC, Maj Gen Paul Tedman has for the first time set out the level of interference from Moscow against the UK's space-based assets.

He said Russia had also been trying to jam the UK's military satellites with ground-based systems every week.

Last month Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said Russia had been shadowing satellites used by their military.

Gen Tedman gave details of how Russia was doing the same to the UK. They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close, he said.

They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them.

Gen Tedman said UK military satellites had been fitted with counter-jamming technologies but added: We're seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis.

When asked how often, he replied weekly. It was, he said, deliberate and the activity had increased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Britain has half a dozen dedicated military satellites in orbit providing communications and surveillance.

In contrast, the US, China and Russia each have more than a hundred. The combined Russian and Chinese fleet of satellites has increased by 70% over the past decade.

Gen Tedman said Russia and China had both tested anti-satellite weapons. Both the UK and the US have warned that Russia has been developing the capability to put nuclear weapons in space.

While the US sees China as the pacing threat, Gen Tedman sees Russia as the more immediate danger: I would say the Chinese have by far the more sophisticated capability but the Russians have more will to use their counter-space systems.

Gen Tedman said he was really worried about what was happening in space – not just the threats but the increasing congestion. There are currently about 45,000 objects in orbit including around 9,000 satellites. This year will see another 300 rocket launches into space.

The general was speaking on a visit to RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire. It is home to Britain and America's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System. It is a job they have been doing since 1963.

The three famous large radomes or golf balls from the Cold War era have been replaced by a 30-metre (98-ft) pyramid which houses thousands of antennas.

This provides 360-degree coverage from the Arctic to North Africa, and from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Its radar can track objects the size of a tin can, 3,000 miles (4,800km) into space.

Gen Tedman emphasizes the urgent need for the UK to invest more in space and missile defense, pointing out the heavy reliance on American technology and infrastructure.

He highlighted the importance of space in both military operations and economic stability, indicating that the UK economy heavily relies on satellite technology.

Amidst these warnings, the UK government is taking steps to defend its satellites, including testing sensors for detecting laser threats from adversaries.