Exclusive-UK adopts SpaceX's Starshield for military operations, sources say

Britain has quietly adopted SpaceX's Starshield satellite network for its military operations, according to sources familiar with the matter. This move positions the UK as one of the first nations outside the United States to utilize Elon Musk's specialized, government-focused variant of Starlink.

Starshield is engineered with advanced security features tailored for military and intelligence applications, differentiating it from the standard Starlink broadband service primarily aimed at consumers and businesses. Reports indicate that the British Ministry of Defence began transitioning operational military traffic to the more costly Starshield service around the start of this year.

While the Ministry of Defence declined to comment specifically on Starshield, it confirmed to Reuters that personnel still use Starlink for non-operational needs, such as maintaining contact with family during deployments. The ministry emphasized that Starlink is not employed for military operations and that a variety of suppliers are utilized for the armed forces. SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment.

This development occurs as militaries globally increasingly rely on satellite internet. Starlink gained prominence following its widespread use in Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. SpaceX has previously stated it curbed Ukraine's military use of Starlink for offensive actions and has also worked to prevent unauthorized use by Russian troops. It remains unclear how extensively Britain's military is using Starshield or its associated costs, though one source suggested the price is only slightly higher than Starlink.

“

personnel still use Starlink for non-operational purposes, such as keeping in touch with family during deployment, and that it "is not used for military operations".