U.K. readies orbital warfare capabilities and a new RAF squadron for satellite threats

The U.K. is publicly stepping up its military space posture, with Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth announcing that Britain is developing orbital warfare capabilities to counter anti-satellite threats. Axios also reports that the Royal Air Force has created its first dedicated Space Effects Squadron to disrupt hostile activity, and that the U.K. has spent the past year using ground-based technology to jam enemy satellites, citing the BBC. Smyth warned that satellite services face unprecedented threats and described Russian space maneuvers as uncommon and dangerous. The moves sit alongside a recently unveiled £298 billion U.K. defense spending plan that includes investment in new space capabilities and protection for assets already in orbit.