RAF chief warns Russian space moves could cripple UK GPS and cost billions daily

At the 2026 UK Space Conference, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth warned that Russian behaviour in orbit poses an unprecedented danger to the satellite navigation and positioning networks that underpin the UK economy, valued at £1.4 billion per day. He detailed incidents in May and June where Russian satellites approached Finnish commercial assets and caused GPS disruptions across Europe, Greenland and Canada. Smyth stressed that failure of these services would cripple road congestion management and delay emergency services.

To counter the threat, the RAF will stand up Number 3 Space Effects Squadron and later add three more units, focusing on electronic warfare and jamming capabilities. The initiative aligns with the UK Space Strategy’s goal of maintaining freedom of operation in space while the government continues to promote peaceful use through the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.