UK launches new space squadron as RAF tackle increasing 'hostile' threats from space

UK launches new space squadron as RAF tackle increasing 'hostile' threats from space The new RAF squadron will protect satellites used to warn of missile attacks, provide communications and help guide ships, the Ministry of Defence has announced Britain is launching its first military unit dedicated to defending satellites as the RAF attempts to combat the growing threats from space. The Air Force say the No. III Space Effects Squadron will counter "hostile "dangers from outside earth. The Ministry of Defence confirmed it will protect the critical satellites that guide British ships, warn of incoming missile attacks and connect mobile phones. The No III Space Effects Squadron will officially be announced by Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth at the UK's Space Power Conference this afternoon. At the briefing, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting will warn the country must "keep pace in the new space race". The announcement comes following the release of the government new Space Strategy designed to strengthen British defences against space threat. Ministers have pledged more than £274million to support “space domain awareness” to study and monitor objects like satellites, rockets and debris orbiting our planet. The MOD say today's announcement "forms a key part of the UK’s ability to gain and maintain freedom to operate in space." No. III Squadron will act against threats, using "advanced technology, including Electronic Warfare, to disrupt, degrade and deny hostile actions". The squadron will support both "offensive and defensive space operations and will expand over time as new capabilities enter service". Air Chief Marshal Smyth said: "Space no longer supports operations from the sidelines. It’s a domain of direct competition, where our military advantage can be won or lost. "No. III Space Effects Squadron will safeguard the vital benefits that space gives to our integrated armed forces, and will be capable of denying those benefits to our adversaries." Mr Streeting said: "Control of the waves was the essential ingredient in 19th century deterrence. That is why Britain built the finest naval power in history. In the 20th century it was control of the skies, and so we built a world class air force to protect us. This century will depend on control of space. "Our dependency on space is precisely why it is increasingly under threat from our adversaries. That threat is growing in scale, speed, and sophistication. And challenges in space increasingly mirror the geopolitics on Earth." Satellites that power everything from mobile phones and weather forecasts to satnavs and banking services are increasingly under threat from catastrophic damaged caused by floating debris in space, Brits were warned earlier this month. Millions of tiny fragments of debris can cause catastrophic damage when travelling at tens of thousands of miles per hour. Ministers said the latest funding will boost the UK's ability to track satellites, rockets and dangerous debris before collisions happen. It includes £149m for the European Space Agency's Vigil mission, which will use British expertise to provide earlier warnings of solar storms capable of disrupting satellites, communications networks and power grids. Some £85m will go towards enhancing the capabilities of the National Space Operations Centre to boost the UK's ability to monitor activity in space, warn of potential collisions and provide early warning of missile launches. Around £40m is being invested in pioneering technologies that can inspect, repair and maintain satellites in orbit.