The head of the United Kingdom’s Space Command, General Paul Tedman, has sounded the alarm over what he described as a growing wave of “hostile actions” by Russia and China in outer space, accusing both nations of conducting secret operations to steal data and disrupt the functioning of Western satellites.
In an exclusive interview with the BBC, General Tedman revealed that Russia is carrying out near-weekly attempts to interfere with Britain’s military satellites. He said Moscow uses sophisticated ground-based systems designed to jam or distort satellite communications — effectively cutting off or corrupting critical information flows between satellites and control centers.
“These are not isolated incidents,” General Tedman said. “Every week, we detect attempts from Russian systems to disrupt our communications and navigation satellites. It’s a form of modern warfare taking place silently above our heads.”
According to the general, some Russian satellites are equipped with advanced sensors and devices capable of tracking and collecting data from other orbiting satellites — a practice Western officials view as espionage in space.
Beyond Russia’s activities, Tedman issued an even sterner warning about China’s capabilities, describing them as “technologically sophisticated and potentially devastating.” He said China has developed powerful laser systems and other directed-energy weapons that could disable or destroy satellites orbiting the Earth.
“China’s advancements in anti-satellite technology are deeply concerning,” he said. “They have the means to blind, damage, or even completely destroy satellites, which would have catastrophic effects on global communication, navigation, and even defense systems.”
Experts have long warned that the militarization of space is no longer a distant threat but a reality unfolding rapidly. Satellites play an essential role in modern life — enabling GPS navigation, weather forecasting, telecommunications, and global banking systems. Any large-scale disruption could have severe consequences not just for militaries but for economies and civilians around the world.
The UK, along with its allies in NATO and the European Union, is now said to be strengthening its defenses in orbit. The Space Command, established in 2021, is tasked with protecting British interests in space and developing new technologies to safeguard satellites against potential attacks.
Western intelligence agencies have been increasingly concerned about both Russian and Chinese ambitions beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Moscow has previously tested weapons designed to destroy satellites, while Beijing has made rapid progress in building its own satellite constellations and space-based surveillance networks.
General Tedman’s remarks come amid heightened global tensions, with the war in Ukraine and growing rivalry between China and Western nations over technology, trade, and military influence.
“Space is no longer a peaceful frontier,” Tedman warned. “It has become a contested domain where nations are jostling for dominance — and the consequences of that competition will shape the future of our planet.”
As countries rush to secure their assets in orbit, analysts say the world may be entering a new kind of Cold War — one not fought on land or sea, but in the silent expanse of space
