RAF chief: Russia can take fight to space
THE UK must be ready to confront Russia in space as technology opens up a new frontier, the head of the RAF said last night.
In the wake of the Salisbury nerve agent attack, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier warned that Moscow could defy rules to attack in space.
He said enemy states were developing space weapons capable of destroying satellites and jamming GPS signals.
The Chief of the Air Staff said the RAF needed to be able to combat such threats. At the Royal Aeronautical Society in London, he said: ‘We have potential adversaries like Russia who are disregarding the rules based international system and exploiting environments in whatever way they feel they can to their advantage. I don’t foresee a war in space but I can see us being contested for use of space and for people trying to deny some of our specific capabilities.
‘We already see that to a significant degree and we need to be prepared to deal with that threat.’
His warning of intensifying threats from Russia comes ahead of the publication of a defence review in the summer.
Weapons could affect the ability of aircraft to operate, cripple car satnavs and shut down maps on mobile phones.
Consumers could also be stopped from using cashpoints and online banking because such activities rely on satellites and time signals.
Sir Stephen said: ‘We could look at it and say, “Yes that is the theory, but they wouldn’t do it, would they?” Well they would never launch a nerve agent attack on a city in the United Kingdom, would they? But they did. So we need to be ready for those situations.’ Pentagon experts believe Russia and China are developing lasers and missiles that could take out satellites in low-earth orbit, according to reports.
Sir Stephen also hit out at Russia for its use of a military grade nerve agent, as well as the ‘criminal activities of the Russian state in cyberspace’.
He said: ‘The post-war consensus that has provided the basis for the rulesbased international order is being challenged and undermined.
‘We must respond, collectively with our Nato and other partners, to counter hostile acts by Russia against our countries, our interests and our values.’
It comes as Western capitals brace for Kremlin reprisals after the list of British allies kicking out Russian spies over the Salisbury attack grew to 27.
Ireland, Belgium, Macedonia and Moldova have joined the list while Nato said it would cut the Russian delegation at its headquarters by ten.
Moscow has threatened a ‘tough response’ to the expulsions.