UK deepens reliance on Musk’s SpaceX, spending nearly $40 million on satellite services

The United Kingdom has increased its dependence on SpaceX, investing nearly $40 million in satellite services provided by the company's Elon Musk. This shift in reliance came to light following a freedom of information request, making Britain the first non-U.S. country to publicly adopt Starshield, SpaceX's military and intelligence-focused service.

The defense ministry disclosed it operates around 1,000 Starshield terminals and 500 Starlink terminals, having spent £13 million ($17.6 million) on Starshield and £16.5 million on Starlink. Starshield, marketed for government and national security customers, is distinct from consumer-oriented Starlink. The adoption of Starshield follows its use by Ukraine during Russia's invasion and is intended for military communications, offering enhanced encryption and military-specific terms of service.

The UK began using Starshield in mid-2022 and shifted operational military communications traffic to the service recently. While Britain maintains its own military satellite communications network, Skynet, and holds shares in Eutelsat, Starshield remains a strategic choice amid concerns over Europe's long-term security dependence on the United States.