Britain to build fleet of spy balloons
The military has successfully tested high-altitude craft which ministers say will give the Armed Forces 'the edge' on intelligence gathering.
The uncrewed vehicles can provide surveillance and communications links, such as internet services, from an altitude of up to 80,000ft.
Britain's move to develop its own fleet comes two years after the US air force shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the South Carolina coast.
The incident prompted widespread concerns across the West about the extent of Beijing's surveillance activities.
At the time, Rishi Sunak, the then prime minister, said that the RAF would take down any such spy balloons found to be flying over the UK.
British officials oversaw trials of prototype spy balloons in South Dakota earlier this year.
The craft can fly at between 60,000ft and 80,000ft and cover a distance of more than 2,000 nautical miles – the distance from London to Timbuktu.
Maria Eagle, the defence minister, said: 'This innovation is about giving our Armed Forces the edge – better awareness, better communications, and lower maintenance needs.
'Stratospheric technology like this could transform how we operate in complex environments, keeping our people safer and better informed than ever before.
'This successful trial is another example of UK defence pushing boundaries, with real potential to strengthen our future capabilities.'
The balloons have been developed as part of Project Aether, a military research programme launched under the Tories in 2021.
As well as providing military intelligence, they could also be used for support in disaster zones, providing fast wireless internet connections.
Officials said the craft, which are fitted with tiny sensors, could also be used to improve weather forecasting and research into climate change.
China has heavily deployed spy balloons in the past few years amid growing concerns about its surveillance operations against Western countries.
US officials revealed earlier this year that the spy balloon they shot down in 2023 was packed with cutting edge American-made technology.
The balloon spent a week crossing the US and Canada, flying over sensitive airbases and nuclear missile launch sites before being downed by an F-22.
At the time, American officials said it had been used by China in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States.
In March of this year, Taiwan, which Beijing still claims sovereignty over, said it had detected six Chinese spy balloons off its main island.
In a sign of growing Western fears, the French air force recently conducted an exercise in which fighter jets shot down high altitude balloons.
Sébastien Lecornu, France's defence minister, said that near-space altitudes were becoming an 'area of conflict' amid heightened Chinese activity.
The MoD's procurement body, known as Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), is now leading Britain's efforts to develop its own spy balloon fleet.
James Gavin, its head, said: 'Defence procurement is making strides in the innovation space and DE&S is looking more at the art of the possible, pushing the boundaries and scoping new technologies.
'These latest trials have been incredibly fruitful and pave the way for more collaborative working with our allies to develop capabilities that will benefit our Armed Forces.'
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