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The UK is looking at options to develop its own satellite navigation system should the European Union (EU) make good on its intention to restrict the country’s future involvement in the Galileo project following Brexit, the government said on 21 May.

Speaking at the inaugural Ministry of Defence (MoD)-sponsored Air Power Association Defence Space 2018 conference in London, the Minister for Defence Procurement Guto Bebb said that while the UK is keen to remain a part of the project into which it has already invested GBP1.2 billion (USD1.6 billion), contingency planning is underway for a national alternative system should that not be possible.

“When it comes to partnership, I should add that we’re keen to remain a part of the Galileo project in which we were instrumental from the start. The threats that Galileo is designed to counter are shared by all of Europe, [and] so it makes no sense for the [European] Commission to exclude us from this programme – especially when many of its key modules and software were developed and built by UK experts […] We don’t want that to happen.

“We want to work closely with our European partners on security, so we’re still in discussion about the programme’s future. But we’re also making sure we’re not limiting our own opportunities. That includes looking at the possibility of an independent encrypted satellite navigation service, and the MoD is strongly supporting the Task Force led by the UK Space Agency [UKSA], to look at the alternatives.”

The UK Government has confirmed today it is developing options for a British Global Navigation Satellite System.

Led by the UK Space Agency, a taskforce of Government specialists and industry will work quickly to develop options that will provide both civilian and encrypted signals and be compatible with the GPS system.

UK companies have made a critical contribution to the EU Galileo programme, building the payloads for the satellites and developing security systems. The taskforce will draw on this experience and expertise as it develops plans for an innovative system that could deliver on the UK’s security needs and provide commercial services.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:


“This taskforce will develop options for an independent satellite navigation system using the world-beating expertise of Britain’s thriving space sector. We have made our position clear to the European Commission and highlighted the importance of the UK to the Galileo programme.

“It is now right that we explore alternative options to ensure our security needs are met as we continue to take full advantage of the opportunities that exist in the global space sector, through our modern Industrial Strategy.”

Dr Graham Turnock, CEO of UK Space Agency said:


“As the Government has made clear, we should begin work now on options for a national alternative to Galileo to guarantee our satellite positioning, navigation and timing needs are met in the future. The UK Space Agency is well placed to lead this work and will use a wide-range of expertise from across the space, engineering and security sectors.”

The UK will be able to use Galileo’s open signal in the future, and British Armed Forces and emergency services were due to have access to the encrypted system when it is fully operational.

The Government has been clear there is a mutual benefit to the UK remaining involved in Galileo and is working hard to deliver this. Without the assurance that UK industry can collaborate on an equal basis and without continued access to the necessary security-related information, the UK could be obliged to end its participation in the project.

The Transition Period (Slide 37)

The Commission suggests that the UK be excluded from Galileo programme committees and expert groups, with invitations on an exceptional and case-by-case basis when needed and without voting rights and also suggests that UK will have only limited access to PRS, while otherwise participating in Galileo/EGNOS.

In a situation in which UK is expected to continue to pay its EU contributions throughout the transition period, one would expect continued full programme participation and full PRS access to continue until the end of the transition period, as well as full access of UK industry to Galileo-related contracts. “Access” alone will not meet the requirements of MOD and UK industry – we need the right to help define, develop and operate PRS if we want to have real sovereignty and to avoid dependency on other EU countries for critical facilities, and to be able to sell related systems and services globally.

The Future Relationship (Slide 38)

The Commission expects to set up a number of agreements delineating the future extent of UK access to the Galileo PRS, including:

a. A Security of Information Agreement to allow exchange of classified information with the UK

b. A Satellite Navigation Cooperation Agreement setting out general modalities of cooperation on Galileo/EGNOS

c. An Agreement on Access to PRS, providing the UK access to the Public Regulated Service, in line with the PRS Decision 1104/2011/EU and the PRS Common Minimum Standards.

While the agreements listed by the Commission are essential for a future relationship with the UK, it is the scope and content that will determine whether the UK objective to fully participate in the Galileo programme has been fulfilled.

In particular, Commission agreements with the UK need to address UK rights and obligations related to its continued full participation in the programme and full access of UK industry to future contracts.

To ensure continued full access to and involvement in PRS, the agreement should ensure that the UK is recognised as a “competent PRS authority” as foreseen in PRS Decision 1104/2011/EU.

Furthermore, the European Commission Draft Withdrawal Agreementv (dated 28 February 2018) appears to assign the UK a status regarding PRS similar to that of Norway, Israel, USA and other allies, allowing access to PRS but not allowing participation in system definition, nor delivery of any of the required cryptographic equipment. This position is considered highly unsatisfactory when viewed from the perspective of both the Ministry of Defence and UK industry.

• Government to invest £92 million of Brexit readiness money on plans for independent satellite system

• 18-month study will look at the design and development of UK programme

• This will inform the decision to create the system as an alternative to Galileo

• The UK Space Agency will lead the work with full support from the Ministry of Defence

The money has been allocated from the £3 billion Brexit readiness fund announced at last year’s Budget and will be rolled out over the coming months.

Satellite navigation systems like GPS are increasingly important for commercial, military and other critical applications, from guiding aircraft, ships and emergency services to helping millions of people find their way on car journeys. A recent government study estimated that sustained disruption to satellite navigation would cost the UK economy £1 billion per day.

The government has been clear that the UK wants to remain involved in the Galileo programme, and is negotiating with the European Commission to this end.

But without the assurance that UK industry can collaborate on an equal basis now and in the future, and without access to the necessary security-related information to rely on Galileo for military functions such as missile guidance, the UK would be obliged to end its participation in the project.

The UK Space Agency is leading this phase of the work to look at options for a British Global Navigation Satellite System, which would fully meet UK security requirements and support the UK’s sovereign space and cryptography sectors. This significant new investment will develop specific technical proposals with the Ministry of Defence playing a full role in support.

The 18-month engineering, design and development project will deliver a detailed technical assessment and schedule of a UK global positioning system.

This would provide both civilian and encrypted signals and be compatible with the US GPS system.

Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab)

(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the UK’s future participation in the Galileo Public Regulated Service.


The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Guto Bebb)

The Government have been clear that our preference is to contribute fully to Galileo as part of a deep security partnership with the European Union and that negotiations should be allowed to run their course. That includes UK involvement in the design and development of Galileo’s encrypted signal for use by Governments, the Public Regulated Service.

On 13 June at the European Space Agency council, member states agreed to proceed with the procurement of the next phase of Galileo. UK companies are not eligible to bid for those contracts. By forcing through that vote while excluding UK companies from the contracts on security grounds, the European Commission has put all of this at risk. The Commission also published slides setting out the EU’s response to the UK’s technical note on Galileo published on 24 May, which explained our requirements for future participation in the programme. The EU proposal does not meet UK defence and industrial requirements, and we could not justify future participation in Galileo on that basis.

The UK has explained that without full, fair and open industrial involvement, guaranteed access to the signal and full understanding of the system’s technical characteristics, Galileo would not offer the UK value for money or meet our defence needs, and that we would be obliged to walk away, resulting in delays and additional costs to the programme that will run into the billions. The Government will need to consider the implications of the recent ESA vote, but we are looking at other options, including a UK global navigation satellite system.

Britain is making unrestricted access to the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation system a condition for future defence and security collaboration with the bloc.

The UK has for the first time formally set out its conditions for participation in the Galileo programme as part of discussions in Brussels this week on the implications of Brexit for Britain’s defence and security partnership with the EU.

Britain is demanding unrestricted security and industrial access to secure elements of the €10bn programme, both during the Brexit transition period and after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK is also demanding that Brussels reopen tenders touching on Galileo’s highly secure military grade signal, the Public Regulated Service, and revise requirements that all related work be done from EU member states.

“Future UK participation in Galileo is a strategic choice which will have a permanent effect on our future defence and defence industrial collaboration,” the UK government warned in a position paper presented to EU negotiators in Brussels.

The bitter row over UK access to the Galileo’s highly encrypted PRS signal has become a test case for discussions on Britain’s departure from the EU.

EU officials have claimed they are merely following the rules — agreed by Britain at the launch of Galileo 15 years ago — which exclude third countries from the exchange of secure information.

The UK wants Galileo to be a core component of a future UK-EU security partnership.

However in its document the UK argued that exclusion from Galileo would damage the trust needed on both sides for a full security partnership.

III. Antrag der Fraktionen der CDU/CSU und SPD im Verteidigungsausschuss des Deutschen Bundestages

Einzelplan 14 Bundesministerium der Verteidigung

Kapitel 1404 Wehrforschung, Entwicklung und Erprobung

Der Verteidigungsausschuss möge beschließen:

Der Weltraum ist eine kritische Domäne für das vernetzte und hoch arbeitsteilige, von funktionierenden Prozessketten anhängige Leben in Deutschland und in anderen europäischen Ländern. Anwendungen in den Bereichen Navigation, Kommunikation und Erdbeobachtung sind von wissenschaftlicher Relevanz, wirtschaftlicher Bedeutung und vor allem von existenzieller Bedeutung für die Funktionalität unseres Lebens. Ohne Zweifel gehören, manche weltraumgestützten Fähigkeiten zur so genannten „Kritischen Infrastruktur".

Zugleich erfährt die Raumfahrtindustrie derzeit einen Boom, der durch neue Antriebstechnologien, fortschrittliche Fertigungsmöglichkeiten und Miniaturisierung von Komponenten in Gang gesetzt wurde.

Daher möge das BMVg:

1. Eine Roadmap vorlegen, wann die Bundesweht über welche Weltraumfähigkeiten verfügen wird.

2. Fähigkeiten entwickeln, schnell und verzugslos Zugang zum All zu erlangen („Responsive Space").

3. Resilienz schaffen für bereits heute vorhandene Weltraumfähigkeiten wie SatKomBw, SARah, Bildaufklärung u. a.

4. Die Voraussetzungen bei Waffensystemen der Bundeswehr schaffen, GALILEO auch militärisch nutzen zu können.

5. Dazu soll der Einzelplan 14 für das Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. zweckgebunden für Responsive Space um jährlich .5 Mio. Euro ab 2020 erhöht werden.

Annahme des Antrags mit den Stimmen der Fraktionen der CDU/CSU, SPD, AfD und FDP gegen die Stimmen der Fraktionen DIE LINKE. und BÜNDNIS 90/ DIE GRÜNEN.

In the night between Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April 2024, at 2:34 CEST, two new Galileo satellites were successfully placed in orbit, as part of the completion of the deployment of the Galileo constellation.

This launch expands the Galileo constellation already in orbit in view of reaching its full operational capability, with 24 operational satellites in nominal slots and spare satellites in orbit.

This launch is taking place only a few days after the new Public Regulated Service (PRS) signals started to be broadcasted resulting in improved robustness and flexibility. This encrypted navigation service is specifically designed for authorised governmental users and sensitive applications.

Looking ahead, twelve satellites of the 2nd generation (G2G) are in production. The first launch of these G2G satellites is expected in 2026 with an Ariane-6 launcher, following successful completion of the maiden flight in 2024. The European Commission is in the process of ordering two supplementary Ariane-6 launches in the coming months.

Navishield, Indra’s solution for secure and resilient navigation with #Galileo, has been successfully validated in two demonstrations held in Prague and Barcelona.

The tests, conducted jointly with GMV and Cipherbit-Grupo Oesía, fully verified the functionality of the CRPA antenna integrated with a Galileo navigation receiver, confirming excellent performance in both static and mobile modes.