Migrants may be tracked using spy satellites. (Image: Getty)
Government contracts have revealed the Home Office is spending ￡15m to track migrants crossing the Channel from space using spy satellites.
The deal is with the Luton branch of satellite communication service provider Telespazio UK, which will work alongside the Joint Maritime Security Centre.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Farmers plotting huge supermarket blockade after Labour's inheritance raid
61 Comments
Sadiq Khan's farmers ad ban defied as activist plasters London Underground with posters
72 Comments
The world's poorest ever president earning just ￡500 a month and driving a 20 year old car
4 Comments
Labour accused of 'gaslighting' as new policy 'breaks manifesto pledge
681 Comments
Protesters take to streets as ex Man City player sworn in as President
5 Comments
Angela Rayner among Labour cabinet members set to lose seat to Reform - full list
1417 Comments
Britons using pliers to pull teeth amid 'dental desert' crisis
20 Comments
Labour on the brink as bombshell new poll reveals Starmer facing loss of 200 seats
818 Comments
Millions of middle-class families face ￡8,000 tax raid under Labour next year
56 Comments
Ed Miliband's extreme green plans to create spark anger across UK, Tory MPs warn
111 Comments
Baroness Owen, 31, demands 'depraved' deepfake porn should be made illegal
51 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hauls in TV boss to demand airtime slashed for rival Nigel Farage
1699 Comments
Chris Packham accuses Labour of being 'complicit' in slaughter of thousands of dolphins
49 Comments
Labour civil war erupts as Keir Starmer branded 'liar' for 'attack on working class'
202 Comments
Fury as 451 migrants cross Channel on Christmas Day - 'Worse under Labour!'
859 Comments
Massive migration crackdown as hundreds of illegal workers arrested in dawn raids
751 Comments
Inside the real war against vile Channel migrant smugglers who are now 'numb to death'
673 Comments
Africa's incredible ￡21bn airport and megacity that will be home to 500,000 people
1 Comments
The new ￡15m plan to use spy satellites to track migrants sneaking into UK on small boats
39 Comments
Reform membership surges after Kemi Badenoch's row with Nigel Farage
255 Comments
Farmers plotting huge supermarket blockade after Labour's inheritance raid
61 Comments
Sadiq Khan's farmers ad ban defied as activist plasters London Underground with posters
72 Comments
The world's poorest ever president earning just ￡500 a month and driving a 20 year old car
4 Comments
Labour accused of 'gaslighting' as new policy 'breaks manifesto pledge
681 Comments
Protesters take to streets as ex Man City player sworn in as President
5 Comments
Angela Rayner among Labour cabinet members set to lose seat to Reform - full list
1417 Comments
Britons using pliers to pull teeth amid 'dental desert' crisis
20 Comments
Labour on the brink as bombshell new poll reveals Starmer facing loss of 200 seats
818 Comments
Millions of middle-class families face ￡8,000 tax raid under Labour next year
56 Comments
Ed Miliband's extreme green plans to create spark anger across UK, Tory MPs warn
111 Comments
Baroness Owen, 31, demands 'depraved' deepfake porn should be made illegal
51 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hauls in TV boss to demand airtime slashed for rival Nigel Farage
1699 Comments
Chris Packham accuses Labour of being 'complicit' in slaughter of thousands of dolphins
49 Comments
Labour civil war erupts as Keir Starmer branded 'liar' for 'attack on working class'
202 Comments
Fury as 451 migrants cross Channel on Christmas Day - 'Worse under Labour!'
859 Comments
Massive migration crackdown as hundreds of illegal workers arrested in dawn raids
751 Comments
Inside the real war against vile Channel migrant smugglers who are now 'numb to death'
673 Comments
Africa's incredible ￡21bn airport and megacity that will be home to 500,000 people
1 Comments
The new ￡15m plan to use spy satellites to track migrants sneaking into UK on small boats
39 Comments
Reform membership surges after Kemi Badenoch's row with Nigel Farage
255 Comments
Farmers plotting huge supermarket blockade after Labour's inheritance raid
61 Comments
Sadiq Khan's farmers ad ban defied as activist plasters London Underground with posters
72 Comments
The world's poorest ever president earning just ￡500 a month and driving a 20 year old car
4 Comments
Labour accused of 'gaslighting' as new policy 'breaks manifesto pledge
681 Comments
Protesters take to streets as ex Man City player sworn in as President
5 Comments
Angela Rayner among Labour cabinet members set to lose seat to Reform - full list
1417 Comments
Britons using pliers to pull teeth amid 'dental desert' crisis
20 Comments
Telespazio UK will provide enhanced surveillance to ensure the UK can tackle "threats to security, law and order, and the marine environment".
The Home Office is also trying to identify vessels that don't provide tracking data, sometimes because they're being used by smugglers, known as "dark targets".
People trying to cross the Channel in small boats are already under 24/7 surveillance using radar, hi-tech cameras and sensors.
READ MORE: Tragedy as three dead in overcrowded small boat crossing the Channel
Over 450 migrants arrived in the UK on Christmas day. (Image: Getty)
Despite being heavily redacted, one contract started in November and is valid until September 2025 for the price of ￡15 million.
An order form reads: "Maritime security is a key enabler to Homeland Security, surveillance of the Maritime domain for UK security requires a multi-layered approach.
"Satellite surveillance products provide longer range coverage but lack persistence, whereas terrestrial sensors such as RADAR provide persistence at shorter ranges."
It says the aims are: "To identify vessels of interest (VOI) (especially dark targets), determine patterns of life (POL) and to enable cueing of other sensor capabilities and patrolling assets.
"To direct other capability/assets to the target VOI in order to undertake further surveillance or to intercept, therefore delivery of agreed products/analysis should be as near to real-time as is possible."
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
DON'T MISS:
More than 1,100 small boat migrants in just three days over Christmas [LATEST]
Sick people smugglers reach new low with 'package deals' to UK on TikTok [INSIGHT]
Nigel Farage erupts as number of migrants arriving on small boats hits 150,000 [REPORT]
Trending
A Home Office spokesperson told The Sun: "The Joint Maritime Security Centre is harnessing cutting edge technology and capabilities to provide 24/7 monitoring of UK waters and ensure our borders are secure.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Farmers plotting huge supermarket blockade after Labour's inheritance raid
61 Comments
Sadiq Khan's farmers ad ban defied as activist plasters London Underground with posters
72 Comments
The world's poorest ever president earning just ￡500 a month and driving a 20 year old car
4 Comments
Labour accused of 'gaslighting' as new policy 'breaks manifesto pledge
681 Comments
Protesters take to streets as ex Man City player sworn in as President
5 Comments
Angela Rayner among Labour cabinet members set to lose seat to Reform - full list
1417 Comments
Britons using pliers to pull teeth amid 'dental desert' crisis
20 Comments
Labour on the brink as bombshell new poll reveals Starmer facing loss of 200 seats
818 Comments
Millions of middle-class families face ￡8,000 tax raid under Labour next year
56 Comments
Ed Miliband's extreme green plans to create spark anger across UK, Tory MPs warn
111 Comments
Baroness Owen, 31, demands 'depraved' deepfake porn should be made illegal
51 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hauls in TV boss to demand airtime slashed for rival Nigel Farage
1699 Comments
Chris Packham accuses Labour of being 'complicit' in slaughter of thousands of dolphins
49 Comments
Labour civil war erupts as Keir Starmer branded 'liar' for 'attack on working class'
202 Comments
Fury as 451 migrants cross Channel on Christmas Day - 'Worse under Labour!'
859 Comments
Massive migration crackdown as hundreds of illegal workers arrested in dawn raids
751 Comments
Inside the real war against vile Channel migrant smugglers who are now 'numb to death'
673 Comments
Africa's incredible ￡21bn airport and megacity that will be home to 500,000 people
1 Comments
The new ￡15m plan to use spy satellites to track migrants sneaking into UK on small boats
39 Comments
Reform membership surges after Kemi Badenoch's row with Nigel Farage
255 Comments
Farmers plotting huge supermarket blockade after Labour's inheritance raid
61 Comments
Sadiq Khan's farmers ad ban defied as activist plasters London Underground with posters
72 Comments
The world's poorest ever president earning just ￡500 a month and driving a 20 year old car
4 Comments
Labour accused of 'gaslighting' as new policy 'breaks manifesto pledge
681 Comments
Protesters take to streets as ex Man City player sworn in as President
5 Comments
Angela Rayner among Labour cabinet members set to lose seat to Reform - full list
1417 Comments
Britons using pliers to pull teeth amid 'dental desert' crisis
20 Comments
Labour on the brink as bombshell new poll reveals Starmer facing loss of 200 seats
818 Comments
Millions of middle-class families face ￡8,000 tax raid under Labour next year
56 Comments
Ed Miliband's extreme green plans to create spark anger across UK, Tory MPs warn
111 Comments
Baroness Owen, 31, demands 'depraved' deepfake porn should be made illegal
51 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hauls in TV boss to demand airtime slashed for rival Nigel Farage
1699 Comments
Chris Packham accuses Labour of being 'complicit' in slaughter of thousands of dolphins
49 Comments
Labour civil war erupts as Keir Starmer branded 'liar' for 'attack on working class'
202 Comments
Fury as 451 migrants cross Channel on Christmas Day - 'Worse under Labour!'
859 Comments
Massive migration crackdown as hundreds of illegal workers arrested in dawn raids
751 Comments
Inside the real war against vile Channel migrant smugglers who are now 'numb to death'
673 Comments
Africa's incredible ￡21bn airport and megacity that will be home to 500,000 people
1 Comments
The new ￡15m plan to use spy satellites to track migrants sneaking into UK on small boats
39 Comments
Reform membership surges after Kemi Badenoch's row with Nigel Farage
255 Comments
Farmers plotting huge supermarket blockade after Labour's inheritance raid
61 Comments
Sadiq Khan's farmers ad ban defied as activist plasters London Underground with posters
72 Comments
The world's poorest ever president earning just ￡500 a month and driving a 20 year old car
4 Comments
Labour accused of 'gaslighting' as new policy 'breaks manifesto pledge
681 Comments
Protesters take to streets as ex Man City player sworn in as President
5 Comments
Angela Rayner among Labour cabinet members set to lose seat to Reform - full list
1417 Comments
Britons using pliers to pull teeth amid 'dental desert' crisis
20 Comments
"Effective use of satellites ensure we can play a key role in detecting 'dark vessels' at sea, such as those involved in illegal immigration, illegal fishing activities, drug smuggling, ship-to-ship transfers of goods and evading sanctions.
"And in the channel, the UK is taking steps to tackle small boat crossings through our Border Security Command, recruiting more investigative officers and working more closely with our European partners to ensure the vile people smugglers are brought to justice."
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.