UK blinds enemy spy satellites with ground-based lasers to shield military secrets

Britain has been using a ground-based laser system to disrupt adversary spy satellites, temporarily blinding their optical sensors and preventing them from transmitting intelligence, according to a UPI report citing senior British defense sources. The system has reportedly been deployed over the past year to protect sensitive military activities, including operations involving Britain’s nuclear-armed submarine fleet and special forces. The sources said it had also disrupted surveillance of military bases, although they did not identify the countries whose satellites were targeted. The reported capability comes as Britain expands its military space operations, with the Royal Air Force (RAF) establishing a dedicated squadron to counter hostile threats to satellites and other space-based infrastructure. Laser system targets satellite sensors According to the UPI report, the British system directs laser energy at the electro-optical sensors aboard reconnaissance satellites, temporarily interfering with their ability to collect or transmit usable imagery. Unlike destructive anti-satellite weapons, which can permanently damage spacecraft or generate debris, laser dazzling is intended to interfere with a satellite’s sensors without physically destroying it. The effectiveness of such a system depends on factors including the target’s orbit, sensor design, atmospheric conditions, and the laser’s power and accuracy. British officials have not publicly disclosed the system’s technical specifications, operating locations, or the satellites it has targeted. The reported deployment follows warnings from British military officials about similar capabilities being used against UK satellites. In October 2025, then-UK Space Command chief Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman said Russia was targeting British satellites with ground-based systems on a weekly basis. Separately, the Ministry of Defence announced in October 2025 that it was funding sensors designed to detect lasers that could dazzle satellites or interfere with communications. The project was backed by approximately £500,000 and involved UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency. RAF establishes new space warfare squadron On September 23, the RAF announced No. III Space Effects Squadron, its first dedicated unit focused on countering hostile activity against British interests in space. The Ministry of Defence said the squadron would use electronic warfare and other capabilities to disrupt, degrade, and deny hostile threats. It will support both offensive and defensive operations and bring together specialist personnel from across the armed forces. The unit will work alongside existing RAF space operations and warning squadrons. Its responsibilities include protecting satellites used for missile warning, military communications, intelligence gathering, and navigation. The announcement came as Defense Secretary Wes Streeting warned that threats to British space infrastructure were growing in scale, speed, and sophistication. Britain’s dependence on satellites extends beyond military operations. Satellite navigation supports emergency services and transport, while timing and communications services underpin financial networks and parts of the energy sector. Growing competition in orbit The reported laser deployment reflects a broader shift toward non-kinetic counterspace capabilities, which can interfere with satellites without destroying them. Jamming, spoofing, cyber operations, and laser dazzling are among the methods countries are developing to disrupt an adversary’s access to space-based services. Such capabilities can potentially affect military intelligence, communications, and navigation without creating the debris associated with destructive anti-satellite missile tests. Britain’s September announcement also forms part of a wider space strategy that includes £880 million in planned investment in space-based intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and space-control activities between 2026 and 2030. While the RAF’s new squadron is officially confirmed, the operational details of Britain’s reported laser attacks remain undisclosed. The UPI report did not identify the targeted satellites or provide independent technical evidence of the system’s use. The development nevertheless highlights how military competition is extending beyond spacecraft themselves to the ground-based systems capable of denying an adversary access to information gathered from orbit. 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