UK Raises Concerns Over Dependence on US for Military Satellites
The focus of the debate is Skynet 6, a planned next-generation fleet of military communications satellites intended to replace and expand the UK’s current Skynet system, which connects armed forces domestically and abroad. The £10 billion (nearly $14 billion) program is being contested by Airbus, a European aerospace firm that has managed the UK’s military space program for over 25 years, and US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
According to unnamed officials cited by reports on Monday, there are questions over whether such a sensitive project should be awarded to a US-based company, given Washington’s increasingly unpredictable policies. Recent comments by US President Donald Trump regarding European NATO members and Greenland have further fueled concerns that political tensions could influence defense cooperation.
A decision on the contract winner is expected by the end of 2026. Airbus operates major satellite production facilities in Stevenage and Portsmouth, employing roughly 3,000 people, and sources suggest that billions of pounds in potential exports could be at risk if the company loses the contract. Lockheed Martin has pledged to establish a UK facility if it secures the project.
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