UK shut out of satellite system

Britain will not use the European Union’s Galileo space project for defence or critical national infrastructure after Brexit, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday.

A row over Galileo, which the bloc is developing to rival the US Global Positioning System, erupted earlier this year when London accused the EU of shutting British businesses out of the project before Britain’s exit next March.

The EU has said its rules prohibit it sharing sensitive security information with countries outside the bloc.

Britain will explore options to build its own Global Navigation Satellite System to help guide military drones, run energy networks and provide essential services for civilian smart phones, May’s office said.