https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/r...pace-m6gbjw6q9

RAF takes control of defence in space

The Royal Air Force has taken control of military space operations and the number of staff employed on defending Britain’s interests outside the earth’s atmosphere will grow by a fifth to 600. Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, revealed details of this emerging dimension of warfare as he said that a new space strategy would focus on developing a satellite navigation system separate to the EU project that Britain could be excluded from after Brexit.

“We must make sure we are primed and ready to deter and counter the intensifying threats to our everyday life that are emerging in space,” Mr Williamson said before the country’s first defence space conference, which opens in London today. “Satellite technology is not just a crucial tool for our armed forces but vital to our way of life, whether that be access to our mobile phones, the internet or television. It is essential we protect our interests and assets from potential adversaries who seek to cause major disruption and do us harm.”......

“I am determined to ensure that the RAF’s leadership of military space operations transforms our ability to address the growing threats and hazards,” Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, head of the air force, will tell the conference. He said Britain had to be ready to fight states such as Russia in space. There are 500 people working in the British defence sector. The increase will be staggered, with the total reaching 600 in five years, because of financial constraints faced by the armed forces.

RAF Air Command is the body that has assumed responsibility for control of military space operations.

The reliance on satellites has been brought into focus after the EU suggested that it may block Britain’s future role in the Galileo satellite project after Brexit because there are legal problems about sharing sensitive information with a non-member state. Galileo is the €10 billion rival to the United States’ satellite navigation system, which is used by millions of consumers. Britain has contributed £1.2 billion to Galileo, which is due to be completed in 2020.

Last night it was reported that the UK was aiming to invite the first tenders for a rival system and there were hopes that Australia could become a partner in the programme. Two Whitehall officials told the Financial Times that Australia, which announced plans last week for a national space agency, had indicated that it may be interested in the UK’s rival project.

Sounds quite challenging
:O
Does he mean that mini-Net called SkyNet or yet-to-be-built Galileo-like navsat network? And how all those satellites would "fight" Russia?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/d...a7c534d0b5.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBwHhw_WYAA2yYn?format=jpg

years...