UK Defence Journal
• George Allison
The UK Royal Air Force has established No. 3 Space Effects Squadron, its first dedicated unit for disrupting, degrading and denying hostile activity in space while protecting critical satellites. Announced at the UK Space Power Conference, the squadron will employ electronic warfare and counter-anti-satellite capabilities.
Cybersecurity (Cyber Threats & Protection)
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The UK Royal Air Force has established No. 3 Space Effects Squadron, its first dedicated unit for disrupting, degrading and denying hostile activity in space while protecting critical satellites. Announced at the UK Space Power Conference, the squadron will employ electronic warfare and counter-anti-satellite capabilities.
Estonian cybersecurity company CybExer will play a key role in testing the security of IRIS², the European Union’s future secure satellite connectivity system. The appointment highlights the cybersecurity requirements attached to the EU’s planned space-based communications infrastructure as the program moves toward implementation.
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The Government Accountability Office says vulnerabilities in national airspace communications could allow spoofing and urges the FAA to strengthen its cybersecurity posture. The agency issued nine recommendations, underscoring risks to systems that support air traffic management and the resilience of U.S. aviation infrastructure.
IATA’s World Safety and Operations Conference will examine how airlines can strengthen resilience as crises multiply and aviation becomes more dependent on sophisticated IT systems. The 2026 agenda also addresses AI and automation, emphasizing the training and human expertise needed to maintain safe operations.
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A government watchdog report cited by Sen. Ron Wyden says communications between U.S. air traffic controllers and commercial aircraft are “incredibly insecure.” The findings call on the Federal Aviation Administration to take steps to address identified threats to a core operational communications system.
Nearly 978,000 maritime GPS-jamming events were recorded worldwide in the first quarter, with 98% concentrated in the Middle East Gulf. The unprecedented disruption affected more than 1,100 vessels and is accelerating demand for navigation resilience that does not rely exclusively on space-based positioning systems.
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A one-millisecond software defect brought down the UK system managing airspace on September 8, causing widespread flight disruption and thousands of cancellations. NATS’ preliminary report ruled out a cyber-attack and military intervention as engineers worked to restore service.
Galileo has demonstrated authenticated civil positioning and ranging for the first time in civil tests, with five satellites transmitting encrypted signal components. The capability is intended to help users verify that navigation data is genuine as spoofing threats increasingly challenge confidence in satellite-based positioning.
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