Britain has confirmed it is operating approximately 1,000 Starshield terminals for military communications, becoming the first country outside the United States to publicly acknowledge deploying SpaceX’s classified satellite network. The country also runs an additional 500 Starlink terminals, now reserved for non-operational applications such as personnel welfare services. Total UK spending on SpaceX satellite services since July 2022 stands at nearly $40 million, split between approximately $17.6 million for Starshield terminals and airtime, and $16.5 million for Starlink. US government contracts for Starshield already exceed $6 billion. This British confirmation may encourage other allied nations to adopt the communication solution.
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